To Be The Best
by ThrashtillDeath
Summary: From the ashes of a tragedy, a new Ash Ketchum is born. Driven on by the memory of his childhood friend, and his bonds with his Pokemon; he won't stop until their dreams are accomplished, and he and his Pokemon stand atop the world - the very best there ever was. Future pairings undecided.
1. Chapter 1

**I love Pokemon. I love the moments where Ash comes across as vaguely serious and competent. I'm gonna forge a bona fide Pokemon Master out of our boy. This is probably the hardest opening chapter I've ever written. I hope I did okay, and you guys enjoy.**

**As a little side note however, I have made a few minor changes to canon other than the events Ash goes through in this chapter - the most important and obvious of which, is Ash's age, and the age at which trainers start their journeys. 10 has never made any sense to me - mainly because it's only there because the creators wanted the series/games to be marketable to younger kids. Seriously, what good parent in a reasonably developed society is gonna let their ten year old kid wander off into the wild, which happens to be populated mainly by really quite dangerous creatures. It's ludicrous, so, er, I changed it!**

**Pokemon trainers-to-be receive their licences and set out at sixteen. A reasonable balance between how old would actually be sensible (18? 21?) and what actually happens in canon (10).**

**This of course has another purpose for me. It makes any ships I may or may not want to write much more... palatable. Writing a romance between two ten year olds is just something I never would have done. Like, ever.  
**

* * *

_Chapter One_

_Memories of a Friend_

_Note: Italics in this chapter indicate a flashback._

* * *

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow he would turn sixteen and receive his Pokemon Trainer's License.

And tomorrow, he, Ash Ketchum would finally get his very first Pokemon from Professor Oak, and get started on his Pokemon journey. It had been a long time coming - almost ten years in the making, though he had wanted it for far longer - and he was decidedly nervous. Was he ready? Was he good enough at this point to be able to care for a team of Pokemon on a journey successfully, to take care of the Pokemon that would become his friends?

He found his thoughts wandering back, memories of all the times he shared with his best, and only, friend.

Bittersweet memories now, but Ash had managed to learn the art of focusing on the good. On the happy. And they were most certainly that. The happiest memories he had. Memories that hoped he would be able to match with the new friends and companions he would make.

_..._

_"Shut your mouth, Gary! What would you know about it anyways?!" The boy angrily demanded of his counterpart, small fists clenched as he tried not to let his fury at the other child's insults get the better of him any more than it already had._

_"Well, my Grandpa is the Professor Oak – you do know who that is, don't you, Ashy-boy? - So I'd say I'm in a pretty good position to say whether you'll be a good Pokemon trainer or not. And, from everything thing I've ever seen of you Ashy-boy, you stink. I mean, when have you ever actually won anything? I'm not even sure you actually know anything about Pokemon at all. Face it Ash, you're just not cut out for it." Gary's tone was matter-of-fact, his arms stretched out in a nonchalant shrug that screamed arrogance. The brown haired child's two friends that flanked him had managed to laugh at all the right moments too, namely the parts where he made fun of Ash._

_"I said shut up!" He was shouting now, all notions of self control forgotten in the face of laughter. "We're seven years old! None of us are even starting our journeys for three whole years! There's no way you could tell something like that before we've even gotten our own Pokemon. You watch Gary, I'm going to become a Pokemon master – the best there ever was – and then when I've wiped the floor with your Pokemon, you'll be begging me for help!"_

_Yet more laughter met his confident claim – confidence that was more bravado than anything else, a desperate cover for the insecurities that Gary's laughter seem to be able to cut right into the middle of – and Gary simply turned away, arms still set in that infuriating shrug._

_"Whatever you say, Ashy-boy. Whatever you say."_

_Ash waited until the last possible moment, until he was certain Gary and his friends had gone and weren't coming back until he allowed a few treacherous tears to escape, and collapsed on on the floor, bringing his knees up to his chin, and wrapping his arms around his legs as he gazed out beyond the borders of Pallet Town._

_If he had been in a better mood, Ash would have marveled at the beauty of the view. Pallet Town was a small town, really in the middle of nowhere, wedged between the ocean and the countryside beyond which lay Viridian City, about a day or so north. Ash sat on a small hill just outside the town's borders, a small woodland behind him separating him from the buildings of Pallet; and in front, down below, a vast – to his seven year old eyes at least – plain of grasslands, with the occasional tree and pond, where he knew Pokemon lived._

_All the kids knew of course, that they weren't allowed out there until they had Pokemon of their own. Wild Pokemon could be aggressive and territorial, especially the likes of Spearow, a small sharp beaked bird that travelled in flocks and attacked as a group. To get caught out by a Pokemon without a way of defending yourself guaranteed you a bad injury, so the rule was generally obeyed. That didn't stop the kids from coming out here though, just to the limits of where they were allowed._

_From the hill, you could watch the flocks of Pidgey and Spearow in the plains below, and occasionally catch glimpses of Rattata, or Nidoran as they darted between patches of long, concealing grass. Some kids had even claimed to have seen the odd Bulbasaur or Squirtle going about their business; though Ash was certain that they were lying, because everyone knew that those Pokemon were super hard to find, and really, really rare.. Watching Pokemon was a favourite past time of almost all the children of Pallet, and sometimes, a particularly brave Pokemon would wander up the hill into the Town's boundaries – Rattata especially, liked to venture up whilst the kids played, knowing that they would almost certainly jump at the chance to provide the small rat-like Pokemon a snack or three._

_One day, three years from now, he'd be out there. He knew he would be, with every bone in his body. He'd start his journey, and he would become the absolute best. The greatest, most talented Pokemon trainer in history. He knew it like he knew the Sun came up in the mornings. He knew Gary was wrong about him, that Gary was just being mean, that he was nothing but a bully._

_But if he knew all those things, Ash couldn't for the life of him work out why Gary's words should hurt so damn much. He should be able to just brush it off, and laugh right back at them. He should-_

_Ash's thought's were interrupted by a leathery hand brushing softly against his cheek, wiping away another tear hat had managed to fight it's way loose, and Ash couldn't help but instinctively jerk away from the presence he hadn't even realised was there until that moment._

_"Char?"_

_A Charmander. A light orange Pokemon, rather similar to a lizard, with a tail that burnt with a deep yellow flame at the end. One of the beginner Pokemon that Professor Oak liked to keep at the lab for new trainers, along with Bulbasaur and Squirtle - and just as rare in the wild as either of those two. It stood next to him, arm still stretched out, and it's head cocked to the side in a questioning manner._

_"Erm, I'm sorry little guy, you just surprised me is all - I didn't see you there." Ash replied, forcing a small smile onto his face as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment._

_"Char, Char!" It's tone was demanding, and a frown had made it's way onto the fire-type Pokemon's features as it semi-playfully stamped it's foot, and Ash couldn't help but be taken aback when he realised he had gotten the gist of what the Pokemon had meant. 'That's not what I was asking!' Ash thought briefly of his Dad's words, an excellent Pokemon trainer in his own right, about how people and Pokemon seemed to be naturally able to communicate and co-operate with each other with out the need for words; and how trainers who formed strong bonds with their Pokemon didn't need a common language to be able to hold long and complex conversations with each other. He had used an example of a bug trainer he had met in Viridian Forest that had an hour long conversation with his long time companion, a Beedrill about the relative merits of Pokemon contests over taking Gym challenges. Ash wouldn't have believed him if his Dad hadn't been deadly serious as he spoke; or maybe even then, if he hadn't later seen his Dad doing exactly that with his Arcanine.  
_

_"Oh, this?" He questioned, indicating the tear tracts that ran down his cheeks. "This is nothing, just some stupid bullies being mean. I shouldn't let it get to me. Say, are you a wild Charmander? Or did you wander away from Oak's lab or something like that? Because if you did, the Professor is probably really worried..." Ash asked, trying to turn the conversation away from Gary Oak._

_For a moment, he could have sworn that Charmander realised what he was doing, because the peculiar fire Pokemon just eyed him carefully for a few seconds, before finally answering with a "Char, Charmander!"_

_"You're a wild Charmander?! No way! What are you doing all the way out in Pallet Town - Aren't Charmander supposed to come from Cinnebar Island or something?"_

_At this, Charmander simply shrugged his shoulders, and Ash got the hint to drop the line of questioning. "Say, do you want to come and see my house? I'm sure my Mom could rustle up some food for you if you're hungry. She cooks the best food in the world!"_

_Charmander nodded his head excitedly, and cried out in delight, which in turn made Ash smile his first real smile since before Gary had shown up._

_"Well, what are we waiting for then? Follow me!"_

_..._

Well, after that, Charmander had just... Never really left. He had never asked Charmander to officially become _his_, though his Dad had mailed him a spare Poke ball for that purpose. The thing was, he didn't need to. They had become the very best of friends, and were very rarely apart. It only took a few months for Ash to realise that he simply _knew_ that Charmander was never going to be anywhere but by his side, especially as their ability to communicate became more intuitive.

His Dad, in the end, understood Ash's reason for not needing the pokeball, and simply stated that he was pleased Ash had found himself such a good friend.

The pair very quickly became inseparable, and the very best of friends. Finally making himself a proper friend changed Ash - suddenly, Gary's taunts and insults didn't mean that much any more; and that all too familiar sting of bitter jealousy and longing that arose when he watched the other kids play together without him, had all but disappeared when he could just turn to Charmander and begin games of their very own.

By the time two years had passed, Ash and his Charmander were a familiar and welcome sight on the streets and fields of Pallet; and their escapades had become legend amongst the children of Pallet Town.

...

_"Hey Ash, is it true you two snuck into Professor Oak's lab?"_

_Ash turned his attention away from Charmander to face the sandy-haired boy who had run up to ask him the question, with an ever so slightly cocky grin on his face. "Well, no." He began, just pausing long enough for a look of disappointment to settle on the boy's face, before continuing on, "what we actually did was sneak into the Oak Corral to try and see some of the other pokemon - we wanted to try and ride one of the Ryhorn you can see from the fence."_

_Ash and Charmander's smiles widened in unison at the boy's stunned expression, and they walked away, leaving him there with his mouth hanging open in shock._

_Obviously, the full story was slightly less impressive. They had snuck into the Corral, and they had of course tried - partially successfully, too, in Ash's opinion - to ride the Ryhorn. What Ash had left out however, was that this particular Ryhorn didn't take to being ridden very well, and spent the better part of half an hour careening around the fielded areas of the Corral bucking and shaking to try and dislodge them - the pair having no other option to cling onto the rock-type for dear life._

_Eventually of course, the Ryhorn came out on top, sending the pair rolling and tumbling away from the stony beast - finally coming to a halt at the feet of the put-upon and angry Pokemon Professor himself._

_That had not been the first, and nor was it the last time the two of them attempted to get into the Corral, and eventually the tales spread amongst the kids of Pallet. The Corral was well known to be forbidden for non-trainers and researchers due to the multiple and may different species of rare and often powerful pokemon; and while Ash was only really interested in meeting the pokemon there for himself, he had to admit he took some pleasure out of the fact that he was well known for being the one brave (or stupid, as his mother believed) enough to sneak in._

...

_"Hey Charmander? Do you have... A dream?"  
_

_Charmander looked over at his human friend, his head tilted to the side in confusion at the sudden question. They were both sitting at that hill were they had first met, and Ash was staring out across the grasslands and forests that stretched out before him in a very rare moment of introspection and seriousness - especially coming from him._

_"Char?"_

_"It's just that, well, I do. I mean, you've heard me talking about wanting to be a pokemon trainer - sometimes it feels like it's all I can think or talk about, but-" Ash paused and looked at Charmander, as if gauging him for something, before pressing on. "But that's not all it is. I don't just want to be a trainer. I don't even want to be a good one. I want... I want to be the best trainer there is! A pokemon master..." Ash's voice spoke, building into a passionate semi-shouted crescendo, before it immediately quietened into a soft, reverent whisper at the words 'pokemon master'. It was something he had openly expressed very few times, and never openly to anyone but his Mum in fear of the ridicule he would receive. His Mum believed in him - Ash though naive and slightly stupid as he was, knew this like he knew the Sun would rise every morning - but his Mum would believe in him no matter how lofty or unattainable his goals were, unflinchingly, and unfailingly. His Dad too, had expressed his faith in him just about very time he had come home from his travels._

_He loved his Mum, and her support in his dream genuinely meant the world to him, but he had desperately craved that kind of support, that kind of acknowledgment from an outside source, from somebody not his parents. He might have declared his dream to some of the other kids, but for the words of Gary and his ilk. Even as Charmander's arrival had taught him to ignore the words of the bullies over the past two years, his dream was still something Ash was terrified of being ridiculed for, it was so precious to him._

_Charmander seemed to understand how important the words Ash had just spoke were, and maintained his gaze towards his human friend, apparently considering his response, before he began his reply, in the usual cries and growls that pokemon used to speak._

_Ash had never really understood the ease with which he had been able to communicate with Charmander - he was hardly experienced with pokemon as a whole, and their bond was hardly strong that first night they had spoken - but he had never really questioned it either. All he did know, was that he had never been so grateful for that ability until tonight, as Charmander stood before him, telling him animatedly his own dream._

_He wanted to be strong. As strong as he could be. The very best of his kind - the hottest flames, the most powerful wings, the fastest in the air; strong enough that he'd be able to protect anyone and anything he wanted. But then Charmander looked directly at Ash, and changed tack slightly. His dream had changed slightly. He still wanted to be the strongest. To be able to protect anything. But more than that, he wanted to achieve that _with_ Ash. He wanted to get as strong as he could to help Ash with his dreams, too. The strongest trainer, with the strongest pokemon - an unbeatable team._

_Ash glanced tremulously at his friend, the emotion evident in his voice. "Do you... Do you really think I can - that we can?"_

_"Char!" The enthusiastic cry, in combination with a clenched fist stretched out towards him told Ash all he needed to know of his friend's certainty, as a slow, delighted smile stretched across his face as a result._

_"So... It's settled then. You and me, buddy. Starting tonight we'll work, and train, and battle together until we're both there best there is - unbeatable team! Agreed?"_

_"Char, Char!"_

...

A change in their relationship occurred that day, thanks to their mutual promises to each other. Whilst before they had just been two friends - one of which that just happened to also be a pokemon - they were now something more. Partners. Ash and Charmander, whilst still the very best of friends, just gradually began to naturally act the part of their respective roles - pokemon, and pokemon trainer.

Their free time began to change as well - as promised they began to train and work towards their dreams; Charmander working with Ash on battle strategies and practicing his attacks - some of the larger boulders on Pallet Town will forever remain scorched thanks to Charmander's efforts with ember - and Ash, somewhat emboldened by Charmander's acceptance and pledge to help with his dream as his partner spurred Ash into studying pokemon in an attempt to prepare himself for his journey's start in six years time.

And as months turned to years, his somewhat casual study of battle theory - moves, types, strategies etc. - branched out into a good many other areas out of necessity. Pokemon care, capture, diets... Absolutely anything he could find out, he did - though still a little reluctantly, as he still couldn't quite bring himself to enjoy studying, no matter how useful.

Before long, three years had passed, and for a thirteen year old Ash Ketchum, came the day when everything changed.

...

_Ash put his arm up to try and shield his eyes from the rain that battered Oak Corral as he scanned his surroundings for one of the few pokemon that hadn't been found and returned to it's pokeball. _

_The incoming storm would be brief, but brutal, and the Professor had decided that all the Pokemon would need to be brought in for their own safety as it passed, rather than risk their injury. Ash had been helping the Professor at his lab alongside school now for six months, in order to get some hands on experience with different kinds of pokemon, and to learn as much as he possibly could in general about Pokemon, and had of course instantly volunteered to round up the stragglers, even a the storm grew closer, and the resultant rain hammered down all over Pallet._

_Finally spotting his target, he approached as slowly and cautiously as he could, before kneeling down at eye level to try and calm the shivering, soaked through pokemon he had been searching for. The Rattata had been pressed up against a tree trying in vain to use it as cover for the biting winds and pounding rain that the storm had bought; and as soon as it recognised Ash, it allowed him to scoop him up, and tuck him away under his waterproof jacket where it was safe, and warm._

_Ash began the sprint back to the lab itself, before he spotted Oak himself some way away, crouched right by the boundary of the Corral that backed onto the forest, and changed his course._

_"Professor, I have Rattata! Any luck with Ivysaur?"_

_Oak turned to him, his expression an uncomfortable mix of concern and relief before gesturing to the lab. "Take Rattata inside! I'll be with you shortly!" He cried, raising his voice over the noise of the storm._

_"What happened?!"_

_Oak pointed to a whole in the chain link fence in response, easily big enough for an Ivysaur to have fit through. "We've been at it for well over an hour Ash - I can't think of any other place we haven't looked on the Corral - but we can't go now, the storm's-"  
_

_Oak was cut off by the sudden placement of a freezing Rattata in his arms, as Ash rushed by him, squeezing through the gap in the fence as only one his age could have done._

_"I'm gonna find her!"_

_"Ash wait!"_

_But Oak was too late - Ash couldn't hear him, or had even just ignored him, and had already darted off into the forest, determined to find the missing pokemon._

* * *

_In truth, Ash had lost track of how long he had been running, and even where he was as he did so. All he knew was that somewhere out in this forest, there was a pokemon - somebodies partner and friend, just as Charmander was to him - was lost in the storm. He scrambled through the forest undergrowth, eyes scanning back and forth for the missing grass type, trying to catch a glimpse even through the thickening rain, and as he saw the flash of lightning strike down upon the forest, and the deafening roar of thunder only moments after, he knew the storm was right over him._

_He quickened his already frantic pace._

_Glancing to the left, he spotted what looked like a main path through the dense forest, and dashed towards it, smiling slightly as recognition struck him. This was a path that connected part of Route One with the lab, bypassing the rest of the route and Pallet Town itself. Reinvigorated at finally knowing where he was again, he prepared to set off again down the path in a direction that he felt was away from the lab as he couldn't see it from where he was, but was stopped by a familiar, albeit quiet, sound._

_Ash strained his ears, and this time, the frantic cries of his Charmander reached his ears, and he span round to meet his friend in shock._

_"You shouldn't be out here, your tai-"_

_"Char, Charmander, Char!"_

_Ash paused, and sighed in relief. "Ivysaur's been found, huh? Thank goodne-"_

_Ash was cut off again by a blinding flash of light, and the unmistakable whip-crackle of a thunder strike near by, and was unable to gain his bearings before yet another panicked cry erupted from his friend, and he heard a gunshot loud crack, followed by a terrible groaning, before being tackled to the ground by Charmander._

_The following boom was deafening, and Ash felt almost as though a bomb had gone off in his ear; and before he could even try and process what was going on, an agonising pain erupted in his left leg, ripping through every level of his consciousness, and forcing a broken scream from him._

_It took Ash a few minutes - though it felt like hours - to fully comprehend what had happened - and even then, how close he had come to death really didn't sink in until much later. A tree had been struck by lightning, and had toppled directly on top of him - an instant death only being avoided by the quick action of Charmander, pushing his body out of the way of the tree._

_Unfortunately, the small pokemon hadn't been able to push him far enough, and the tree had managed to fall across his left leg, pinning him to the forest floor._

_He weakly glanced around, trying to locate Charmander, and his gaze quickly settled on Charmander's still breathing, but unconscious form - just out of arm's reach. Ash could just about make out a wound on the lizard pokemon's forehead, and quickly realised he had been knocked out in the fall. Panic set in as Ash tested his leg, and found it wouldn't move an inch from under the thick tree truck that was pinning it._

_It wasn't him he was particularly worried about though, as he stared helpless and frustrated at his friends prone form on the ground. It was a reasonably well-known fact that should a Charmander's flame on it's tail go out, it would die. Now, the flame was enhanced thanks to Charmander's own power, meaning that it had some kind of defense against the weather or water attacks; but Charmander was lying out in torrential rain with no protection._

_If Ash didn't do something, Charamander would die._

_"Charmander, get up! You have to get up, now!" Ash shouted over the storm, over and over again, trying to get some kind of response from his friend other than the slight rising and falling of his chest - the miniscule movement proving that Charmander was definitely alive.  
_

_But it was to no avail. Desperation began to set in as the flame on Charmander's tail began to get noticeably weaker, and Ash tried heaving himself into a sitting position, only to be nearly overcome by nausea and pain at the movement. After giving himself a moment he was certain he didn't have, he pushed through the pain and began to try and manually lift the tree off of his leg - but it was all too much for his young body. He couldn't make the tree move even an inch, and the pain was so intense, black spots began dancing across his eyes as he came dangerously close to passing out._

_Rain poured down his face, and it was only now Ash realised just how wet he was. Not an inch of him had escaped the rain, and just as soon as he had noticed it, he _felt _the cold the adrenaline and worry had been keeping from him. It penetrated right through to his very bones, his uncontrollable shivering doing nothing to keep it at bay, and he could swear it was sapping his very strength._

_Ash was tired. More tired than he had ever been. He could feel the exhaustion in every muscle, in every limb - even his mind was clouded, and foggy, making it impossible to think clearly._

_A quick glance to his side though, and he knew that none of it mattered. His body had no strength left, he was exhausted, and at the very limit of his stamina and pain threshold. He had one more chance - once more herculean effort left within him before he knew his body would give out._

_Failure was not an option. For Charmander, he _would_ succeed._

_He had to._

_He set himself as best he could, and wrapped his arms around the tree as though he were cradling it and readied himself to lift. A deep breath. And he lifted. He grit his teeth, and he poured every last ounce of strength and energy and willpower into moving that tree._

_And in one, single, utterly horrifying moment of clarity that he would remember until his dying day, Ash knew it wasn't enough._

_His body, wracked with pain, slunk back into his original position lying down, and the blackness that he had been fighting against for what felt like hours, finally came for him faster than he could push it back._

_And his last waking sight before unconsciousness finally claimed him, was the candle-thin flame of his best and only real friend's tail, flicker one final time, and die._


	2. The Adventure Begins

**I had a PM about this, so I thought I'd clarify it here: Just so y'all know, the Charmander that's appeared early on in my story isn't THE Charmander. You know, like Ash's Charmander/disobedient yet loveable Charizard to be. Unfortunately, THAT Charmander is still in Damians 'tender' care. For now, for now.  
**

* * *

_Chapter Two_

_The Adventure Begins  
_

_Note: Italics in this chapter indicate a flashback and/or a Pokemon's translated speech._

* * *

_Ash could feel the presence of his Father behind him as he stared out openly across the plains beyond Pallet Town, sitting cross legged, resting against the back of the tombstone of his best friend. It was easier, out here, so close to him in the place where they met. Here, where he could sit with his friend and talk, and pretend that he hadn't gone. That Ash's stupidity hadn't taken his life, and his dreams away, long before their time._

_He couldn't even bring himself to look at the simple stone that marked where he had chosen to bury his friend - and hadn't so much as glanced at it since the funeral, where he, Professor Oak, and his parents had lowered the tiny coffin that contained Charmander into the ground. So he simply contented himself to sit here, with his friend, and talk, and pretend._

_It had been easier at first, of course. He could sit in his wheelchair, and pretend that the block of granite didn't exist at all. But then, his two broken legs had healed fully - despite early fears in the first couple of days that he wouldn't regain the use of his legs. His mother and father had been stricken at the possibility, but Ash hadn't even been able to feign disappointment. His and Charmander's dreams had been joined together, that day on this very hill, and when Charmander had died..._

_His confliction over it was more than he was prepared to deal with at thirteen years old. He still wanted to be a Pokemon trainer, but how could he without Charmander? _

_Moreover, how could he even possibly deserve it? He hadn't just lost a fight due to a stupid rookie mistake that all new trainers make. He had made a mistake that had cost his friends life. How could he ever be a trainer now?_

_"How long are you just going to sit there and mope, Ash?"_

_The tone, and disappointment in his Dad's voice stunned him out of his malaise and he got up and rounded on his Dad on impulse, angrily clenching his fists._

_"My friend is dead! How-" He started to shout, but was cut off by his father._

_"I'm not talking about that. Sit down." His tone was still firm, commanding, but the disappointment was gone, and Ash could pick up on his Dad's worry for him and couldn't help but listen - so he slumped back and waited for his Dad to continue._

_Much to his surprise, the rather tall man walked past him, and sat behind him, so they were sitting back to back._

_"I'm talking about what you're really thinking about - what's on your mind. I'm not upset because you're grieving, Ash. For that, you can take as much time as you need, we'll all be here for you - I'll be here for you." He meant it too. Apparently, his Mum had sent word to his Dad who was out on his own travels as a trainer that Ash had gotten seriously hurt, and the man had been back in Pallet Town within a few hours, riding atop an apparently totally exhausted Fearow, having pushed his pokemon as hard as he could. And he hadn't left either - and hadn't even strayed too far from Ash himself in the two months since the accident. _

_The man sighed and shifted slightly, before he began speaking again, more softly this time. "You've met my Venusaur of course. He was the starter Pokemon the Professor Oak himself gave me when I was sixteen, and he's been with me my entire life. The first pokemon I ever caught however, was a Mankey. There are very few moments during my travels that I'm prouder of, than when I caught him, the very first new friend I made on my journey. Bulbasaur - she was always the gentler sort - and while she would battle for me, she never really enjoyed it the way some other Pokemon do, she just did it to make me happy."_

_He chuckled slightly, "caused me no end of worry during the first leg of my journey in Kanto, I can tell you. I wanted nothing more than to take the Pokemon League Challenge, and my irreplaceable friend and partner just didn't get the pleasure out of it that I did. She enjoyed the training well enough, perfecting her moves, getting her as strong as he could be - but there was just no spark for actual battle there. Of course, I resolved that problem when we moved on to Hoenn - the second region we visited. As an Ivysaur, she completed flourished in contests - that was her calling. So we simultaneously competed in the league, and the Pokemon Contests too."_

_"Mankey on the other hand. Completely flourished in battles. She lived for them in just the same way I did. We fought together in most of my first eight Gym battles - and in the Indigo Plateau Conference. She was spectacular. Powerful, lightning quick, and a furious fighter - I've never met another pokemon quite like her..."_

_His Dad trailed off, and Ash couldn't help but voice his question, even though his instincts warned him he shouldn't. "She sounds incredible Dad, how come I've never met her?"_

_His Dad sighed again. "She passed away, Ash. It was a freak accident. I had decided to travel the Orange Islands after my Indigo Conference challenge, and hired a boat to travel in with the winnings for my finish in the Conference." This had always been a point of pride for Ash - his Dad had finished in the Top 8 in his first Indigo League Conference at just seventeen, the point where the winnings for placing began to climb rather steeply. "I was a poor navigator, and even worse at steering a boat. But I was in a confidence high from my win, and rather arrogantly assumed I'd be able to pick it up as I went, and set off without regards for the consequences._

_"Long story short, a storm hit, and I just wasn't capable enough at the helm of the boat to cope. We capsized, and Primeape as she was then had been out of her Pokeball helping me on deck. I couldn't keep her with me, and we were separated in the water - I was lucky and survived the fortunately short storm and was rescued. We found Primeape a few days later after an extensive search, washed up on a beach on a nearby island. She had drowned that day in the storm because of my negligence and arrogance."_

_Ash could scarcely breathe. His Dad... It was the exact same thing, the same feeling, the same kind of circumstances. Ash wasn't stupid, nor was he unobservant after spending time with Professor Oak, learning to study pokemon. His Dad had been somewhat of a silent hero for Ash as he recovered and grieved. His Mum - bless her soul - had done her very best to help, and to demonstrate her love, and support - and Ash loved her to bits for it, but his Dad..._

_His Dad he realised now had understood. He had known exactly when Ash had needed space rather than comfort, and when Ash needed the arms and support of his Mother and Father; and had made sure Ash got those things, when he needed them, despite his Mum's obvious desire to try and hug the pain away._

_"It took me a good deal longer to get to where you are now, with your grief, and I'm proud of you for it, Ash. You're strong - stronger than I've ever been. You and Charmander were like brothers, far more than just friends - me and Primeape shared an incredibly special bond, but it wasn't as strong as yours and Charmander's was. I could see it every time I looked at you both together when I visited - it really was remarkable. The way you've dealt with that grief has been admirable, especially considering your age. You haven't run, or hidden from it; you've been back to the forest, to the very spot; you've come here nigh on every day - you've even started your lesson's with Professor Oak again, despite what's going on in your mind."_

_Ash was confused, "so why then, Dad?"_

_"Because I've been in your position, Ash. I know." He paused, "you don't feel like you deserve to be a pokemon trainer anymore. You feel at fault for what happened, and you feel like you shouldn't be trusted with the care of a pokemon. You made a mistake, and now yours and Charmander's dreams are dead, because you vowed to accomplish them together, right?"_

_Ash couldn't speak. His eyes were ground shut as tears leaked out before he could even think to try and stop them, and not for the first time in the last few months Ash's body was wracked with silent sobs as he tried vainly to hide them from his Father. To be confronted with everything he had been thinking so directly, it hurt more than he was prepared to admitted it - it hadn't been, but to Ash, it was both an accusation, and a confirmation of a truth he already knew._

_So naturally, he stopped dead when his Dad calmly announced: "Well I'm here to tell you Ash, you're wrong." No words came to Ash's mouth as a response, but his Father pressed on regardless._

_"When two best friends - two brothers - share their dreams and swear to accomplish them together like that - it's not just a vow that they will work together in order to accomplish them. It's really a promise. A promise to the other that you will never give up, no matter what happens - that you'll always be fighting for both your dreams, just as you know your brother will be doing the same. It took me a long time to really work this out for myself; and you're thirteen, and already doing a lot better than I did, so I can't really blame you for not having realised it yet. Plus, I'm your Dad, and I love you, so it's really my job to help you out when things get difficult, right?" Ash realised his Dad was rambling - a trait Ash himself had picked up when it came to trying to talk about his own emotions, and was worried about getting it right. But it didn't matter, Ash was spellbound, hanging on his Father's very word in a way he hadn't since he was much younger._

_"Tell me Ash, what do you think Charmander would say if he could read your mind and knew you were planning on giving up?" The sudden question threw Ash, but he wasn't given time to answer before his Dad pressed on. "Because I guarantee you something, Ash, he may be in a better place now, but he's still watching over you, by your side in spirit - and he always will be. After all, you and him made a promise to each other, right? That you'd never give up. That you'd always keep working. And together, you'd both become the very best. That's not the kind of promise a brother like Charmander would go back on, so he's watching over you right now so he can be there with you every step of the way._

_"When you made that promise with him; your dream became his, and his became yours. It was just as much his dream to see you become the very best trainer you can be as it was yours - and now it's just you. I believe in your own heart, that you still want to be a trainer. If you do, then it's your responsibility as the last one out of the two of you to carry both your dreams as far as you possibly can. Use this experience, learn from it. Make damn sure a pokemon under your care never gets hurt in that way again. Do absolutely everything you possibly can to make Charmander proud. _

_"But it's equally important to understand, that Charmander also wouldn't want you to do something you don't truly wish to do. People change and grow, in just the same way pokemon do, and their dreams change and grow with them. If being a pokemon trainer truly isn't for you, then Charmander wouldn't want you to do it out of obligation. He'll be happy no matter what you choose, as long as you haven't chosen it simply because you felt you weren't capable, or deserving of doing what is right for you. Whether it's trainer, or breeder, or professor, teacher, or construction worker - as long as it's what you want, and you put your all into it, Charmander will be right there-"_

_But Ash's Dad had been cut off by Ash suddenly turning and embracing him - the tears had been finally too much to hide, so Ash had simply stopped trying. For the first time since he was a small child, Ash wept openly and loudly into his Father's arms - and the only thing his Father could make out between the shuddering sobs and gasped breath was, "I... Want... To... Pokemon trainer." _

_"One more piece of advice Ash, from Father to Son... A real man - he never hides his tears, and is never afraid to cry. There's nothing wrong with it, and there's no shame in it. So when you're sad, cry if you feel like crying. Even more than that, if you're happy and you feel like it, cry then too. And when you're proud, you can cry then if you really want as well. It's a good thing."_

_Ash's only response was to continue sobbing into his Father's shoulders, clinging onto him like a baby, which got a slight chuckle from the man. "'Atta boy, Ash."_

_..._

Ash remembered every word of that conversation like it was yesterday - it had been burned into his brain, and defined who he was today in a way he couldn't fully express.

Of course, Ash had never really wanted to give up on pokemon training, it had always been his dream, and even back then he knew it would always would be to an extent, no matter what he did. But guilt, and grief of that level could do funny things to a person - could bypass even the will of the most determined and foolhardy person and deter them from his dreams.

In later conversations before his Dad had set off again, he had found out that his Dad had decided to quit being a trainer after Primeape's passing. That he wasn't capable of looking after Pokemon. It took him nearly a year of dealing with his demons before he went to Professor Oak's lab and begged forgiveness of the pokemon - the friends he had left there upon his early return from the Orange Islands. Of course, like any real friends, they had understood, and eventually all forgave him and agreed to set out once again on their travels - and their bonds had only ever gotten stronger.

Even then though, he never returned to the Orange Islands on his travels - deciding to head straight to Hoenn instead.

Ash understood.

And now, it was his turn. Tomorrow, he'd meet his first new partner, and set off on his own travels to accomplish his - and Charmander's dream.

In the years since Charmander's passing, Ash had taken to his preparation with a gusto. He learned everything he could, basic nutrition, strategies, care - anything and everything to do with pokemon. His Dad had taught him how to light fires without any matches or lighters, and his Mum had gotten him comfortable cooking a few very basic meals - using mostly ingredients that could be harvested almost anywhere in Kanto. Surprisingly to him, his Mum had been a veritable treasure trove of survival knowledge. From finding and building shelter, to orientation and map-reading; his Mum had been able to instruct him well enough that he felt more than confident of his ability to survive for a few days in the wilderness if he ever lost his pack.

Of course, he was still very young, and he had only really scratched the surface of what there was to learn, even in the entire six years he had really been preparing. It took time to learn, and absorb knowledge properly - time and actual and experience - and that was something Ash could only really acquire on the road. Still, he was more prepared than the vast majority of people who set out for the first time with pokemon, and for that, he was intensely grateful. He was determined never to endanger his pokemon simply out of ignorance, or poor preparation.

Finally, all packed and prepared - and done with his reminiscing - he set his alarm clock for 7am, and settled himself into bed, and before finally succumbing to sleep, uttered aloud his promise.

"I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna be the best - for you, and for me, Charmander." And with that Ash Ketchum fell asleep, dreams of future travels and adventures lulling him into a restful night's sleep.

Unbeknownst to him, his door slowly and silently crept shut; and a softly smiling Delia Ketchum stepped away from her son's door, and brushed away the single stray tear that had begun to creep down her face. Tomorrow, her boy would finally fly the nest - and she truthfully couldn't deny he was ready. He had been through so much, and it pained her that he had done so at such a young age - but he had met those obstacles, obstacles that would crush some adults - that had very nearly crushed her husband, and had overcome them magnificently.

She knew almost all Mum's were intensely proud of her children - it was a 'Mum' thing, as Ash would likely put it. But none of their son's were Ash Ketchum, and she knew without a doubt that she was already the proudest of them all.

She was of course devastated he was leaving - she couldn't not be - but she knew in her heart the time was right. He had waited and waited to leave and chase his own dreams, and live his own life, and now he was finally ready, and mature enough to do so, as much as it pained her. She simply wouldn't be doing her job as a mother if she told him, or tried to ask him to stay a while longer. After all, it was just as much a mother's job to finally let their child out into the big, bad world, with all it's dangers when they were ready; as it was to shield and protect them from those dangers when they weren't.

She finally reached her own bedroom, but before she went to bed, she opened her drawer without thinking so that she could check on the items she had ordered without anyone's knowledge - two all-access tickets for the entirety of this season's Indigo Conference in a years time. Access to every stadium and battlefield, with a guarantee of front-row seats past the Fourth Round. It had taken almost all of her savings, but she knew it would be worth it.

After all, while she knew almost all Mum's had faith in their children - it was a 'Mum' thing. But then, none of their son's were Ash Ketchum...

* * *

The sound of Ash's alarm clock never reached his ears.

"At least I didn't sleep in..." He muttered to himself, smiling slightly as he switched off the alarm clock - the time reading 6.58am. Ash almost laughed - the one day he wanted to be as well-rested as possible, is the one day he's up _early. _He'd been able to have a shower, get dressed, and eat a breakfast that his Mum had woken specially to cook him - to his eternal gratitude - and still managed to beat the buzzing of his alarm.

He just couldn't help it. Last night he had been excited, despite being a little subdued as he thought of what could have been. But this morning, there was none of that to dampen his spirits - today was all about the first step on a very long road, and he couldn't remember being this excited. He could feel it practically coursing through his veins as he tried to suppress his desperation to get going, and leave Pallet Town as a pokemon trainer.

Fortunately, his early rise meant he had the time to fully double check his pack - and even prepare a serving of general purpose pokemon food in advance for whoever his new pokemon would be later on today. By the time it was ten minutes to eight, he was all set to go, ready to head off into the world - but first of course he had an appointment with Professor Oak to keep, at 8am. He had more than enough time to get there - but after a hurried goodby to his Mum, and a promise to meet her outside the lab before he left Town, he couldn't resist setting off at a near sprint to the lab, and ended up being the first there.

Professor Oak opened his door at precisely 7.55 by his keeping to answer the excited knocking of the very first trainer that would be arriving within the next few moments - and was none too surprised to see it was Ash that had arrived, looking well prepared and eager to set out. He welcomed the boy in and sat him on one of the chairs in his lab - directly facing the pokeballs of the three pokemon he had to choose from.

It was a bit of a tradition of his to do this to the first and second - partly to ramp up the tension, nerves, and excitement for his own enjoyment, and partly to give those here more time to think. The three would decide among themselves the order in which they would pick - or if they couldn't, priority would go to those who arrived first. Oak though, suspected that there would be no such issues today. The other two boys were close friends and had likely already decided among themselves.

And Ash, well Ash had a little more maturity than either of them, and Oak suspected he knew exactly what he would say when it came time to decide the order they chose their starters in.

Looking at the boy now, decked out in the clothes Delia had made for him - a light blue jacket with a white stripe down the centre over the zip and white trim over a black undershirt, black cargo pants, and red trainers - specially designed for the wear and tear of travel - all capped (if you'll excuse the pun, he said to himself even in his own internal monologue) with a red and white Pokemon League baseball cap, with a stylised green 'L' on the front - Oak couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride, and even a touch of youthful excitement as he thought of Ash's potential.

He had prepared himself the best he possibly could for his travels, and studied harder than anyone his age that Oak was aware of. He had taken in as much as the venerated professor had been able to teach him - and managed to learn yet more on top of it; all the while, his enthusiasm and love for pokemon never fading.

Oak was more certain that Ash would go far than he had been of any trainer that had passed through the halls of his famous pokemon laboratory.

Over the course of the next few minutes, the other trainers had arrived - one, a non-descript boy by the name of Terry; and the other, his very own Grandson, Gary Oak - and he had given his standard 'new trainer speech', emphasizing the necessities of caring for and bonding with your pokemon, hard work, and perseverance. He also, of course, handed out five empty pokeballs, and a Pokedex to each of the three teenagers, before explaining their functions - unnecessarily he knew, for Ash and Gary, but old habits die hard, he supposed.

Finally though, after twenty minutes, the moment of truth came, and Oak brought the three up to face the three pokeballs resting on their platform, illuminated by the spotlight in his lab, making them seem much closer to treasures upon a podium than future friend and companions.

"So," He began, smiling that poorly disguised excitement on his own Grandson's face. "Who's going to pick first?"

Surprisingly, it was Ash spoke first. His words however, left Oak feeling very smug in his own predictions about the boy. "I don't really have any preference - any of the three would make amazing partners, and would be just as good for me as any other provided I work hard enough, so the others can pick first."

Gary just shrugged. "Me and Terry worked it out before hand anyways - go ahead Terry."

The boy hesitated strangely for a moment, and sent Gary a look Oak couldn't quite put his finger on. "Fine then, the pokemon I choose is... Bulbasaur!"

And with that, the boy walked over and picked up his pokeball, and made to leave.

Gary, on the other hand, looked thunderstruck. "But Terry, we agreed-"

"No Gary, you said. I agreed to absolutely nothing. Sorry, but when you get an idea in your head, you don't take no for an answer so I just agreed to get you to back off. The pokemon _I_ wanted, was Bulbasaur - just like you always wanted Squirtle."

And with that, the other boy walked out of the lab offering Oak a muttered thank you, and an apologetic glance to a confused looking Ash. And it was that glance that gave away what had happened.

Gary Oak was not good with people. He could be rude, arrogant, and downright offensive and hurtful when he really put his mind to it - but deep down he was not a bad person, just a kid, who had a lot of growing up to do. And if there was one thing Gary Oak knew very well - just as his Grandfather did - was loss. His parents' death when he was six had hit him hard, and a child struggling to cope, turned to picking on others as an outlet for his own grief. It was wrong, and not helpful, but the Professor had not been able to shake him of it no matter how he had tried.

However, when Charmander had passed away, something in Gary had changed. He was still outwardly cocky, still arrogant, and could still hurl an insult or two; bu the spitefulness had gone. More importantly in Oak's eyes, Gary had stopped targeting Ash. Suddenly, here was this other boy, who could somewhat understand his own pain; and suddenly Gary craved his friendship, and just as quickly as Gary admitted it to himself, he was faced with the stark realisation that any chance of making friends with him had been snuffed out by his own hand.

So Gary simply left Ash alone. Stopped insulting him, stopped the bullying - stopped others from carrying it on in his absence too - but never having the courage to try and make friends. The supreme irony being of course, that Ash was the kind of person that likely would simply forgive Gary any way.

Apparntly, Gary had conspired to ensure that Ash wouldn't be forced into taking a Charmander as a partner - knowing full well that it would be a painful experience for Ash, and could potentially cause issues down the line. Oak believed that Gary was quite possibly underestimating Ash's ability to deal with his problems, and form bonds with pokemon whatever the circumstances - but Oak had actually prepared for this happenstance in advance should Ash not wish to choose Charmander.

It had been heavy handed, and a touch naive, but it was nice to see his Grandson to try and do something good for somebody he such a complex - if one-sided - relationship well.

Gary, reluctant to even look at Ash, stepped up to the podium following Terry's exit. "It sucks, but I've gotta pick the pokemon I know would be best for me - the pokemon I decided I wanted _years_ ago. Squirtle, I choose you." And with that he picked up the pokeball, and left the lab without a word.

Oak sighed, but he couldn't blame his Grandson. His Father had trained a Blastoise before he passed away, and the chance to do the same simply meant to much to him, but it sure as hell made things more difficult for Ash and himself. The black-haired, freshly registered trainer's eyes were fixed squarely on the pokeball left on the podium, and for perhaps only the second time in a decade, Oak read real uncertainty in the boy's eyes.

"Ash, just relax for a moment. You don't have to pick that one if you don't want to. I did happen to prepare an alternative just for you, just in case of this very situation."

His eyes though, never left the pokeball. "I just- I was sure I was prepared for this. I was certain it wouldn't matter... But now that I'm here..." He trailed off, looking particularly frustrated. "Having a partner - a best friend is fine, but for it to be a Charmander... It just feels wrong, like-"

"Like you're replacing him directly. I can certainly understand why you're reluctant Ash, and it says absolutely nothing negative about you - hence the reason that there is a fourth option."

"Just what is it?" Ash queried, finally turning his focus to the Professor.

"Well, I was looking through my collection for a suitable pokemon - and I did have several shortlisted, when I heard a curious noise." Oak walked over to the podium, and pressed a button, and the upper podium lifted up to reveal a second level inside, with another pokeball on it, a curious lightning shaped mark on it's front. Oak picked it up and turned to face Ash.

"It was the pokemon now inside this pokeball, chewing on the cables. I caught him, thinking he would be a perfect emergency starter pokemon, once I had worked with him a little bit... I'm still not sure why I did it, but I decided to prepare him for you today."

"So I could pick him instead of Charmander then?" Ash asked, hope in his eyes that made Oak uncomfortable.

"Ash, to be perfectly honest, I would rather you didn't... This pokemon, it is freshly caught from the wild. I've only released it once, and it was... Uncooperative to say the least. In my professional opinion, it is a pokemon currently unsafe for a beginner trainer to be starting with."

"And in your personal opinion, professor?" Ash asked, sensing with a grin what his answer would be.

He sighed, and allowed himself a small smile. "In my personal opinion, I think if any beginner trainer could take this pokemon as their own, and train it properly, it'd be you Ash."

Ash's grin grew wide with happiness. "Then I think you know what I'm going to say, Professor."

The professor sighed yet again - a habit this trio of trainers seemed adept at bringing out in him, and handed him the pokeball. "Well, why not introduce yourself, then. Just... Don't say I didn't warn you."

Ash ignored the word of warning, just like he ignored the several steps the Professor took away from the area he was about to release his new partner out into, and threw the pokeball to the floor in order to meet his new partner. The red beam of energy that spewed from the pokeball began to take a small, mouse-like shape, and in a delighted moment of recognition, he saw that the pokemon that had emerged out of the pokeball, blinking, and bleary eyed, was a Pikachu.

He knelt down to eye level, and extended his hand to the confused looking electric mouse. "Hey, Pikachu! My name's Ash, and I'm your new trainer. I hope-"

He never got through his sentence, as with nary a warning Pikachu struck out at him with an electric attack Ash supposed was a thundershock - giving him a very painful electric shock - before innocently scampering away and beginning to snack on a apple that had been left on the Professors desk.

"I think I might see what you mean, Professor Oak..." Ash started his eyes fixed on the small yellow pokemon.

"Would you like to meet some of the pokemon I thought about last night?"

It took Ash a moment to respond, and even as he did, his eyes never left the pokemon before him. "No. Professor, I can't explain it, but I know. It's a gut instinct - I choose this Pikachu to be my first. It has to be him."

Oak knew the look Ash now wore on his face as he gazed at his new, troublesome companion well - he himself had worn it enough in his days as a trainer. Sometimes, you would come across a pokemon - or even a pokemon would come across you - and as a trainer, you see something in them that only you can see, that sets them apart from every other pokemon of their kind. You meet them, and you just know that you have to try and catch them, try and make them your friend. It's just... Right. It was a gut instinct, a connection that Oak had never been able to explain, but never really saw any need to, for every trainer who had experienced it already knew.

He knew Ash wouldn't be deterred - even as he approached again, and Pikachu fired off several electric attacks without looking, forcing Ash to duck out of the way.

"Although, that could be a problem." He stated, more amused than worried by the looks of things. Quickly, before Pikachu could react, Ash recalled him to his pokeball in a narrow beam of red light, and attached the ball to his belt before breathing a slight sigh of relief.

"Looks like I have one more job to do before I leave, huh Professor?" He asked, the smile never leaving his face.

"You're not leaving right now?" The Professor asked in only mild surprise. "Most would, you know."

"Yeah I know, but it would be unfair Pikachu to try and force him to come with me before he even trusts me - not to mention unsafe for both of us. I'm going to try and make friends - or at least come to an understanding with him before that. And if I can't... Well, I don't like the idea of just giving up on him, so we'll just have to see what happens."

* * *

Ash left Oak in the main area of the lab, and proceeded to pass through the lab to meet his Mum, only to find Gary Oak hovering uncertainly in the lobby just by the exit.

"Ash! I-"

Ash cut him off with an easy smile, knowing how uncomfortable Gary must be feeling - despite the bullying early on in his life, Ash really couldn't bring himself to harbor any animosity towards to youngest Oak. Back then, they had both been kids. Both stupid, and immature in their own ways. And now they were older and more mature, Ash could see through a lot of Gary's bluster. Ash in a way, was very lucky. He had been given a drive, a passion, and he had found a dream he was willing to pursue no matter what. He was certain he had found his calling.

Gary on the other hand, was still very much unsure of himself on the inside. Who he was, what he wanted to do or accomplish - he simply hadn't found his own dream or calling, and had been left with few other options than to simply set out with everyone else and try and find it. The arrogance, the swagger - it was a mask that papered over Gary's own uncertainty. And he wore it well, to be fair. Gary had an enviable amount of talent, worked admittedly hard, and was remarkably intelligent. No matter what he decided he wanted to do, he would go far.

"I know what you tried to do Gary, and I appreciate it. And don't feel bad about picking Squirtle - there was a fourth pokemon, so no hard feelings okay?" And on impulse, he extended his hand to the other boy, much to his visible shock. However, it was quickly masked by a smirk as Gary proceeded to firmly shake the outstretched hand. "See you at the Indigo Conference then, Gary?"

Gary's smirk twitched. "You betcha. I hope you don't plan on winning that thing though, 'cause me and my new pokemon are gonna dominate it, Ashy-boy."

Ash laughed loudly at that. "Whatever you say Gary, whatever you say. Good luck on the road, Gary. And have fun."

Gary's smirk dropped into an easy smile and he replied with a simple, "you too, Ash"; before both boys turned and left the lab - one heading out of Pallet Town at last, the other heading back to where he agreed to meet with his Mum.

And upon arriving there, he couldn't help but be a little dismayed that her Mum had managed to put together an actual leaving party to see him off. Naturally of course, even amongst the cheers of her friends at seeing him, his slight hesitation was enough to tip her off that something was amiss.

"Ash, honey, what's wrong?"

The questioned quietened the crowd, and Ash smiled appeasingly to try and reassure her. "Nothing's wrong, Mum - not really. It's just choosing a pokemon didn't quite go as planned - the only pokemon the Professor had left was Charmander..." His Mum's expression of worry intensified at that, and even most of the crowd seemed worried, so he knew he'd have to say something now to put them at ease - especially his Mum. Having said that, he was still intensely reluctant to admit the pokemon he _had_ gotten, was for all intents and purposes, wild. "Luckily Professor Oak had a fourth pokemon that I could pick, so I did. It just means I have to do some stuff before I leave - I'll explain more at home."

His Mum seemed to accept that, though concern still dominated her features, so Ash turned to the people gathered and thanked as many of them as he could for showing up for him - he really was grateful after all - and that he'd see them all the next time he was back in town, before heading back to his house to explain things properly.

* * *

"So that's what happened." Delia Ketchum said thoughtfully, her worry eased considerably (though naturally, she would always worry). Well of course you're welcome to stay for as long as you need, Ash. Staying was a smart decision to make - I can't help but feel much better about you leaving knowing that you're willing to put off the traveling to ensure yours and Pikachu's safety. What do you plan to do?"

Ash leant back in his chair, still thinking about just that. "Well to me, it seems like Pikachu has problems trusting people, and I can't really think of a way of proving that it can trust me. I was just going to try talking to him - tell him about myself, maybe take him up to Charmander's grave... Maybe if I can give him an enough of a sense of who I am, and maybe open up to him a little bit, without expecting anything in return, he might give me a chance to start earning that trust."

Delia smiled brightly at him and gave him a hug. "It sounds like a wonderful idea to me. How about I make the both of you some lunch? I'm not a trainer, but I know enough to be sure that a good meal is never a bad idea when it comes to boys - Pokemon or not!"

"Thank you Mum, that'd be brilliant!"

* * *

And so, Ash found himself sitting atop the hill that was so precious and intimately familiar to him, a picnic blanket spread out close to his friend's tombstone; and a veritable feast fit for pokemon and people alike.

With a touch of trepidation, he un-clipped Pikachu's ball from his belt, and released the pokemon opposite him. It didn't take long for Pikachu to round on him, not noticing his location or the food, sparks crackling around his cheeks menacingly, angrily shouting and gesticulating at him.

Ash wasn't even surprised that he had gotten the gist of what the pokemon said.

"You don't like going in pokeballs?" He questioned, glancing at the offending item in question that rested, open in his hands. "I'm really sorry, Pikachu, I had no idea. Most other pokemon don't mind, you see."

Seeing no give in Pikachu's anger at him, and perhaps being a little more insightful than he'd later give himself credit for when recounting this story, Ash made a decision. He got out one of the empty pokeballs Oak had given him, and enlarged it before placing it on the middle of the picnic blanket in front of them. Then he took Pikachu's pokeball, and snapped it in two, eliciting a surprised cry from the small, electric mouse in front of him.

"There, I've just released you back into the wild. I'd really like you to at least stay and have lunch, and maybe even talk with me - and I'd absolutely love it if you decided to try and become friends and travel with me - but if you hate being captured, and don't want to do any of them, then I have no business forcing you to do it Pikachu. My journey, it can wait - Professor will have a new set of pokemon before long. I won't drag you along against your will just so I can leave now." Ash paused before smiling slightly at the obviously shocked and hesitant pokemon. "Seriously though, you should at least stay and eat with me - My Mum is a seriously amazing cook, and she made this specially for the both of us. It'd be a shame to put it to waste."

And just like that, Ash started to dig in, taking a little bit from every platter of food - a cocktail sausage here, a sandwich there, the odd bit of chicken - to demonstrate that every thing was safe and un-tampered with without explicitly saying it. And within a few minutes Pikachu was happily eating alongside him - obviously hungry, and obviously enjoying Delia's cooking a great deal.

And for an entire ten minutes, Ash let the pokemon eat in peace, letting him get comfortable being around him - at least, that is, until he had another idea. Pikachu was slowing down, apparently getting fairly full, and was just at that moment happily licking some ketchup from his fingertips; and was completely unaware of the crafty look in Ash's eye, as the boy reached for a spoon, and placed a cocktail sausage on it.

And of course, like the very mature young adult his mother and Professor Oak believed him to be, he used the spoon to positively launch the sausage at the mouse - and scored a direct hit, right between the eyes.

Pikachu looked scandalised, if a little confused, and narrowed his eyes at the black haired by - but Ash just smirked. "Well come and get me back then, unless you're _scared_."

The pokemon scanned the area in front of him and quickly reached for a spoon and scooped up a healthy serving of peas.

"Hey Pikachu, that much stuff at once is cheat-" Too late. Ash dived to the side to try and avoid the area affect of the pea-strike, but it was in vain. And he was forced to sit up again, spitting peas out of his mouth as he did so. "I hope you realise Pikachu, that this means war?"

"Pika Pika!"

"Bring it on huh, well, you asked for it." And with that the pair of them lunged for the closest bit of food and started throwing, a full scale food fight immersing the normally quiet hillside into chaos.

Eventually, however, the food ran out, and both combatants collapsed back onto the blanket, exhausted, utterly filthy, and laughing hysterically - which soon gave way to an easily and companionable silence. Suddenly, Ash realised that the sun was setting, bathing the plains blow him in an orange glow that seemed intimately familiar to him, and it was only after a few moments that he understood why. He had never thought about it before - his memories of that day had always centered on his friend, and the words they spoke - but that day they had shared their dreams, the sunset had bathed the plains blow him in exactly the same way.

Really, he supposed it was nothing special - beautiful of course - but it happened every day. It shouldn't have been remarkable to him. But it was. It was oh so special.

"Hey Pikachu, do you have a dream?" The pokemon simply tilted it's head to the side in questioning though, clearly reluctant to share without reason. "It's just that-" Ash paused, clearly unsure of how to continue. "Well, this is the spot where I met my first, and best friend. I was a lonely kid, and was picked on a lot and laughed at by all the others." Pikachu appeared to frown, slightly, as though in sympathy but made no move to interrupt, so Ash simply pressed on. "I'd just been insulted, and it upset me pretty bad, and my future friend - he just sorta sat himself down beside me, and started to cheer me up - did a pretty good job of it to, at that.

"After that though, we were inseparable. We played together, explored together, fought once or twice, and even played a few pranks and had a few adventures - we'd gotten so close, we were like family, he and I - brothers. We'd been friends for years, and we sorta ended up back here - it kind of became out spot over time - and on a day just like this I asked him what his dream was." At this Pikachu sat up, truly interested in the impromptu story.

"I told him how mine was to be the pokemon trainer in the world - the most powerful, the most knowledgeable, the most kind and friendly to pokemon. The very best. I expected him to laugh at me - but he didn't. He just sat down next to me, and told me his own dream - but that it was more than that, that he wanted us to achieve our goals together, he wanted us to help each other - cause you see Pikachu, my best friend, was a Charmander. And this Charmander, dreamed of being the most powerful Charizard ever - '_the hottest flames, the most powerful wings, the fastest in the air_'_"_

Ash paused and smiled at the memory, "the greatest pokemon alongside the greatest trainer - an unbeatable team. That day was like a promise between us, that neither of us would give up, that we'd always push on and try to accomplish our dreams. His dream became mine, and my dream became his, and the promise was that one day we'd accomplish them."

Pikachu was wide-eyed at how open, and honest Ash was being. Pokemon he may be, but he understood the feelings Ash was talking about, how personal this must be. "Pika?"

"What happened to him?" Ash repeated, the smile he wore taking on a distinctly sad quality. "I did say that this place sorta became our spot - and it always will be." Pikachu followed Ash's gaze, and the small pokemon felt his heart drop like led. Between trying to understand the weird human that had released him despite the fact he clearly wanted Pikachu to accompany him (why, when he could just force him to come, after all? Pikachu hadn't been prepared to believe that the human - _Ash_ - cared enough about what he wanted) and the incredibly nice food, and admittedly fun impromptu food fight; Pikachu hadn't really payed too much attention to the small, out of place granite stone that marked almost the very peak of the hill.

But, looking at it closer, even Pikachu recognised what it was. A tombstone.

"He passed away three years ago, now. And even now, I still miss him. I can't help but feel that it should have been me and him setting out on our journey today. When I got to the lab to receive my first pokemon, the only one left was another Charmander, and I just couldn't bring myself to choose it - so Professor Oak suggested you.

"But Charmander was the reason I asked you about your dreams, Pikachu. I thought that maybe if you wanted to, I could help you with yours - especially if you wanted to get stronger like that, what with me being a trainer and all." Ash smiled and got up, stretching as he did so. "But don't worry about it, Pikachu. Tell you what, why don't you come back to my house for the night. You can wash, and sleep there without having to worry about being attacked or anything - I'll even fix you breakfast in the morning - and after that well... It's up to you. If you want to stay, you're welcome for as long as you like. If not, you're free to leave whenever you like. You're not a prisoner, and you're not my pokemon, so you don't have to feel like it, okay?"

Pikachu nodded in agreement, the change in subjects much appreciated - and truthfully, he actually believed that Ash was being totally honest with him when he said he could leave when he liked - and just as Ash finished cleaning up, Pikachu couldn't help let loose a slight yawn.

"Tired, Pikachu?" Ash asked with a grin. "You can ride on my shoulder and save yourself the walk if you like?"

Pikachu glanced at the offending shoulder. It did look sort of comfy. Pikachu yawned again, and Ash's smile grew. Okay, very comfy. Before he even realised he was doing it, Pikachu had climbed up onto the boys shoulder, and made himself comfortable.

* * *

Pikachu woke with a start in a place he didn't recognise, and hearing sounds he couldn't quite place; but, after a few moments of remembering the events of the previous day, he realised this must be Ash's house - and after a cursory glance out of the window, the pokemon guessed he had only been asleep for a few hours, as it was now night outside.

He realised that the noises he had heard was Ash talking to somebody he didn't know - and curious, and for a reason he couldn't really place, worried, Pikachu decided to abandon the idea of more sleep to investigate.

He also couldn't help but notice that hi fur was now clean and food free - a welcome change no matter how fun the food fight may have been, and felt a surge in gratitude towards Ash, and had to fight back the feeling, the urge that had been building in him that entire day.

He arrived just outside the door that Ash was talking behind - to a kindly sounding woman, from what Pikachu could make out - and his ears twitched slightly as he focused on his excellent hearing.

"Thanks again for the picnic Mum, it really was delicious."

"Oh," The woman's - Ash's Mum's - voice playfully answered, "from what I saw, it all ended up on your clothes."

Ash shifted in his seat before responding, "as if we'd waste your cooking like that... We were mostly all finished eating, and I needed to figure out a way for Pikachu to have a little bit of fun with me. He was enjoying the food enough, but he was just so tense..."

"You think he had a... bad experience with some other people before you?" The woman answered, sounding concerned.

"I don't think he was ever physically hurt. He's having problems trusting me and my gut says that he'd been abandoned or something like that."

Unbeknownst to the two humans, Pikachu had gone ramrod stiff at Ash's guess.

"That's awful!" Ash's Mum seemed outraged at Ash's supposition, and Pikachu couldn't help find himself liking the woman, just a touch. "Who could do that to such an adorably perfect pokemon?"

"It's weird Mum. It's like he wants to trust me, but can't quite let himself actually do it. I tried to show him that he could by talking to him - I told him about Charmander, and mine and his ambition - I told him more that I've ever told anybody explicitly. Admittedly, you and Dad pieced most of it together fine enough over the years, but still. I couldn't do it. He seems so lonely, like I was before... The more time I spend with him the more I want him to know I'll be his friend, and that I'll help. But I just can't seem to get him-"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, honey. If Pikachu has really been abandoned before than it might take some time to really commit himself to trusting you. He might decide to do it tomorrow, he might've decided in his heart to do it already. Or he might decide to do it in a week, or a month. Just give it time."

"I know, I'm just worried he'll leave without giving me a chance is all. I told him he was free, and I meant it.

"He chose to come back with you despite his mistrust, and he chose to stay and spend time with you after you set him free, I think that speaks volumes, Ash dear. Just give it time.

He sighed and rose from his chair, and Pikachu could hearing him embracing his Mom. "Thanks Mum, I really appreciate... everything."

"That's what I'm here for, Ash. Now go get some rest, you've had a busy day, and you never know what tomorrow will bring."

"Right you are, good night then, Mum."

"Good night, Ash"

Pikachu could hear Ash moving closer and closer to the door right in front of him, but he couldn't bring himself to move. Memories raced through his mind of his short life to this point - his sick mother, too sick to keep up with the group and left behind; he, a small, runty Pichu, too weak to really be worth taking with them, left alone to watch his mother die and then die with her.

But he hadn't. He'd pressed on. Learned to survive, and fight, and fend for himself. His evolution into a Pikachu, into himself had come quickly - and with it, came an increase in the urge to be with his own kind.

He approached group after group, community after community to join with the other Pikachu, only to be rejected - an outcast. It had gone on for an age to him, each rejection wearing away at his self confidence, at his willpower. But then, he found the acceptance he craved from an unexpected source - man. He had been captured by a wealthy man living in the human city of Saffron, and had been given to his eight year old daughter as a gift. Elise had been her name, and Elise had treasured him just as much as he did her - they were inseparable, going everywhere together in her arms.

Then had come the holiday to Sinnoh.

Elise's father had caught her a Shinx, and it was as though Pikachu had never existed in the first place. He was left in her room, while she carried Shinx everywhere in her arms.

Pikachu didn't understand that Elise was just a little girl - that she didn't understand the pain she had caused him, that she was spoiled. All Pikachu understood the day where he had released him in a forest some way away from their home, and drove away without him, was the sting of someone you had started to think of as family abandoning you.

For a time, he had hated people. But that didn't last long. He longed for the companionship again, but was too scared to trust anybody enough actually give it. His shock routine upon being captured, the refusal to obey commands - it was a test of sorts. If they could look past that, if they still wanted him after that - then surely they wanted him more permanently?

Did this trainer - Ash - actually want him? To be friends with him? Or did he just want somebody to help him until he found better, and then Pikachu would be left alone again?

Pikachu finally broke from his thoughts only to see the face he had been thinking about directly in front of his own, having crouched down to his eye level - his mother hovering by the door worriedly.

"Pikachu? Is everything all right? You look a little upset buddy..." Ash's voice was the very picture of concern and worry, and suddenly, looking into his eyes, Pikachu found his answer.

He spun on the spot, and broke out into a run, heading straight back to the room in which Ash left him, leaving Ash scrambling after him - his mother following along, curious as to Pikachu's behavior.

The pair entered Ash's room to find Pikachu rummaging through Ash's turquoise and black backpack. "What is it, Pikachu? If you tell me what you're looking for, I can help?"

"Pika!" The pokemon exclaimed in triumph, emerging from the bag, single, red and white pokeball in hand. "Pika, Pikapi!"

Ash's mouth dropped slightly, as half worked out, half understood what Pikachu you wanted. "Are you kidding, I'd love for you to come with me! But are you sure you want to? I mean-" Ash was cut off as the small yellow mouse gave a determined nod, before pressing the release button on the ball, and being drawn inside the capsule, and it slammed shut.

The room was dead silent for a mere moment, before the pokeball made a distinctive 'ding', indicating a successful capture.

Ash glanced at his mother, who looked decidedly smug. "I told you Ash, dear. He just needed time. Now, try not to stay up _all_ night talking with your new friend - I have a feeling your schedule for tomorrow just got a whole lot more full... Am I right Ash?" Ash gave her a blinding smile, before they said their good nights, and Ash was alone with his first pokemon.

He held the pokeball in his hands - the sensation entirely different than before - and after getting ready to sleep, and setting himself down on his bed, he released Pikachu on the bed in front of him.

"Hey, Pikachu... Er, I'll put the ball away - I know you don't like it, so you can travel out in the open with me, okay?" It was the only thing Ash could really think of to say beyond his own confusion at Pikachu's sudden decision, and after a pleased affirmative from his new partner, the room fell into an odd silence - and after about 30 seconds of awkwardly looking at each other without words, there was some kind of instantaneous decision to lie down and try and sleep.

Weirdly though, once in the dark, Ash laying in bed, and Pikachu curled up at the foot of it, not quite confident enough to actually curl up against Ash, and to Ash's surprise Pikachu started talking. And for the first time since he met the electric type, Ash understood it in the same way he understood Charmander's words after a year or so of knowing him.

_I don't really have a dream like you do, or like Charmander did - but I do have something I've always wanted... I never really had parents, and was always by myself... The thing I want more than anything else is a family..._

Pikachu stopped talking, unsure of himself, but Ash didn't mind, and he couldn't help but be ecstatic that Pikachu had opened like Charmander had all those years ago.

"You know Pikachu, my Dad is a really great Pokemon trainer - and he always said to me that building a family is what being a pokemon trainer is really all about."

"Pika?"

"That's what a trainer does, or should do. Every time he catches a pokemon, the bond they form becomes so strong that they're like family... And as you travel more; more and more join that family - other pokemon, the friends and people you travel with along the way, plus the already existing families and _their_ pokemon are all part of it. So I guess that right now, our family is me, you, and my Mum. But with every new pokemon I catch, and every new friend we make, our family is just gonna grow and grow.

"So I suppose what I should really say is, welcome to the family Pikachu!"

It went unspoken for now, but as Ash spoke those words, and Pikachu was unable to find a shred of dishonesty in his voice; Pikachu swore to himself that as long as he and Ash were together, he would do everything in his power to make sure Ash's dream came true.

Unwittingly making the same vow Charmander had made to himself without telling Ash, many years ago, as he and Ash watched the sun go down and spoke excitedly about dreams.

* * *

In retrospect, the only thing Professor Oak really should have been surprised about, was that Ash hadn't managed to form a bond with Pikachu sooner. However, when Ash and Delia showed up at his lab bright and early this morning to thank him for the help, and the Pikachu, with said electric type happily (and obediently) riding on his shoulder ready to set out on his journey, Samuel Oak just couldn't help the shock.

And now, as he stood next to a slightly tearful Delia Ketchum, he just couldn't help wonder what else the boy was capable of.

Ash on the other hand, was considerably less introverted. "You ready to go on an adventure Pikachu?" He asked as he reached the threshold of Pallet Town - where the Town ended, and Route One, and wilderness began.

"Pikachu!"

"Well then," he responded to his partners shout with an excited smile, "let's go." And with that, Ash Ketchum left Pallet Town, Pikachu riding his shoulder, to begin his journey to become the absolute very best pokemon trainer in the world - a pokemon master.

* * *

**And so the story begins proper. I hope you liked the way I tried to realistically create a believable relationship between Ash and Pikachu, without you know: death by Spearow. As much as I like that episode, Ash setting out with a Pikachu that didn't obey or trust him totally doesn't fit this story.**

**Anyways I hope you enjoy the story, and what I have planned.**

**This is an anime retelling, but things won't go exactly as hey did before. Some pokemon will return, others might not (it's all up in the air at this point) and Ash will likely catch much wider array of pokemon. Obviously, Ash will also interact with the people he meets differently, and react to situations differently - and who knows what kind of knock on domino effect results that might have, right?**

**One thing I do know will change, is the order in which the regions are visited. Right now, Kalos will likely be sooner rather than later, mostly because I'm really enjoying watching it - the third region visited perhaps? Eh, who knows.**

**I'll also be doing special movie chapters fo' sho'; mostly because they're fucking awesome, and Ash's mad ability to be super chill about being friends with a stupid amounts of legendary pokemon is totally bad-ass. **


	3. A First Time For Everything

**Oooh, this is just flowing out of me. Might not be much good mind you, but at least I'm being productive. Any writing I do is practice, and that'll just improve the work I do on my other fics.  
**

* * *

_Chapter Three_

_A First Time For Everything  
_

* * *

Ash's smile never once faltered as he and Pikachu walked the first few hours of their journey together. He knew of course, that the happiness he was experiencing now wouldn't last - that the long days, hard weather, the intense work that came with being a trainer, would soon wash away the euphoria that Ash was currently experiencing. This was it. It had finally happened. Despite everything that had happened these past years, despite the hardships, and the doubt - Ash Ketchum had finally stepped beyond the boundaries of Pallet Town by himself, a pokemon trainer.

Well, Ash thought, a surreptitious glance up at his new partner's contented smile as he examined anything that caught his interest from his shoulder vantage point, not quite by himself.

Pikachu - having gotten past his initial mistrust of Ash, and fear of abandonment, or at least having decided to give him the benefit of the doubt - was as excited at the prospect of setting out on a journey as he was, and had been positively bubbling with energy for the entire time they walked, his eyes just as greedily taking in their surroundings as Ash's were.

And what surroundings they were. The wilderness surrounding Pallet Town was spectacular, if a touch easy going. To his right, rolling grasslands - waist high in places - sprawled nearly as far as he could see, mottled vibrantly with splotches of pink, purple, blue, and yellow wildflowers; the seas of lush green only occasionally broken up by a tree every so often. To his left on the other hand, the grasslands after an hour of walking had begun to give way to sparse woodland that seemed to grow denser and denser as they walked, but never seemed to extend it's reach to the other side of the road - Ash, having studied the geography somewhat, already knew that it never did, either. The forest soon gave way to an tributary that eventually joined up with one of Kanto's major rivers, and was in fact, Ash's first stop on his way to Viridian City.

He glanced to his right as several Pidgey, small beige and brown feathered birds took flight from the long grass. So far, Ash had seen a good many Pidgey and Rattata rummaging and scurrying in that grass; but despite the instinctual excitement that surged through him at the possibility of catching his very first pokemon himself, he managed to restrict himself not to.

The two species - as well Spearow, another he'd managed to identify on the road - were relatively common all across Kanto, and wouldn't be too difficult to pick up at a later date.

For now, Ash just wanted to just take pleasure in the simple fact that he was on the road at last.

Besides, not only that, but Ash wanted time to take stock of things, before started training and catching other pokemon. He wanted to explore his Pokedex a little bit, and get an idea of where Pikachu was at battling wise, before he tried to attack a wild pokemon. Obviously, Pikachu was more than enough to defend him from the sort of wild pokemon found around Pallet - provided he didn't do anything stupid like rile up an entire flock of Spearow, of course. But using attacks to at the very least, consider them not worth the risk to attack; and actually battling were two vastly different prospects. Ash wanted to be ready.

Added to that, he also felt it was important that he got into the habit of setting up camp. He needed to make it routine - something he could do in the dark - as well as get into the habit of doing everything required methodically, and in a well organised manner.

It was one of the reasons Ash had decided he would be taking the very first leg of his travels fairly slowly. He planned to make camp for the night once they reached a good spot close to the riverbank, since the weather ensured there would be no flooding. That way, he could spend a bit of time trying to ensure the best way of doing things without risking losing the light.

Then they'd get lunch, and Ash would spend some time with the Pokedex; before he and Pikachu would do their first light training session, just so they could get used to each other in battle, and so that Ash could see just what his Pikachu was made of.

If they still had the light, and the energy - _then_ Ash would see if they could find a potential new friend and ally.

* * *

Professor Oak, Ash reflected, was a total genius.

It was his genius mind that spawned the idea for the red device he now held in his hands; and it had been by Oak's own hand that the prototype had been programmed and built - much of the data used initially, being data that Oak had gathered himself during his long career. From there, the idea had evolved and evolved, and more and more professors from all over the planet added their own not-inconsiderable knowledge to the central database uploaded to each and every Pokedex. They had soon become standard for all new trainers - the database on each one tailored to the region that the trainer was traveling to.

Their small camp had taken far less time than Ash had anticipated to throw together - the tent erected, a fire pit and all the wood they would need for the night pre-prepared for lighting. And so, Ash had decided to see what he could glean from the piece of technology Oak had given him.

First and foremost, it served as his primary identification. Proof of who he was, and his license to train pokemon. It also contained a breakdown of his history as a trainer - battle records, pokemon caught, Gym badges earned, and placings in Pokemon League sanctioned competitions. It's central function of course, was to act as a portable pokemon database - allowing Ash to call upon vast amounts of information on any pokemon he came across, simply by allowing the device to scan it. He could of course, also search the database manually should he wish to research a pokemon not in front of him. Not only that, it also kept vast amounts of information on pokemon moves, abilities, and natures; as well as likely behaviors, nutrition and care advice for specific pokemon, and a truly incredible amount of additional features that Ash had never even begun to imagine.

The most important of those however, had Ash thanking Oak more than he already had been for the ingenious device.

Everybody knew that pokemon battles with other licensed trainers operated on a cash reward system where the loser essentially paid the winner - it was how career trainers earned their living after all - based on a whole series of factors such as trainer experience, number of pokemon used, finances actually available and a good many more. Ash had never managed to work out exactly how prize money was awarded, nor had he known exactly how it worked - so in preparation, he had saved as much cash as he could for his journey so that he wouldn't be caught unable to pay should he lose a few battles early on.

However his effort, the Pokedex explained in it's tinny robotic voice, had been totally unnecessary. Upon the award of his trainer license, a bank account was automatically set up in a new trainers name and connected to the Pokedex itself, meaning the device could act, essentially, as a debit card. The Pokedex was linked to him and him alone - only he and Professor Oak could even activate it thanks to it's rather impressive set of security measures - meaning his money was entirely safe once it was in the account. Furthermore, the device tracked his battles with other licensed trainers, and automatically calculated and sent or received the required amount of prize money - essentially meaning he didn't have to worry about a thing.

The final function was not so crucial, but was still incredibly useful to Ash, and he hadn't known that the Pokedex was capable of it. It also could act as a pokeball transporter - meaning that when Ash had more than the maximum of six pokemon, he could rotate them as and when he needed to without having to bother Professor Oak.

Finally, Ash turned to his Pikachu, who had curled in his lap but listening intently as he examined his Pokedex - and performed the full scan Ash privately admitted he should have done before they left.

_Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon. It can generate electric attacks from the electric pouches located in both of its cheeks._

_Ability: Static_

_Known Moves: Thundershock, Tail Whip, Thunder Wave, Quick Attack, Thunderbolt_

The Pokedex rattled off a few other miscellaneous facts about his partner such as height and weight, and Ash made sure to make a note of both so he could sit down and work out a proper diet plan for Pikachu later. He was no breeder, but he knew enough thanks to his Mum and Professor Oak's efforts that he could put together a much better feed for his partner than the all purpose feed that many trainers relied on.

However, his focus was only half of what it should. The ability to use a thunderbolt attack said a lot for Pikachu's power for such a young specimen of it's species, and Ash couldn't help but be excited. Thunderbolt was the quintessential, must-know attack for most electric types. It was a powerful move, and of the attacks Pikachu knew now, it was likely only thunderbolt would remain as a regular part of Pikachu's repertoire as it expanded it's move pool.

Furthermore, it gave Ash an idea as to where to start training his partner. Pikachu weren't as hardy as other pokemon, and evolutionary stones were hard to come by, so speed and agility training was always going to be a substantial amount of a Pikachu's work load. However, since Pikachu seemed already able to channel a fair amount of power - much more than he should be able to given his age - they would simply work on refining his electrical strikes at first, rather than their power meaning for the first few weeks at least, they could focus on Pikachu's speed, and perhaps even teach him Double Team, an incredibly useful and versatile move.

Ash smiled. It was a small advantage his Pikachu had over others, but it was an important one for Ash and his partner. A practical test just to be sure notwithstanding, Ash was confident that backed by Thunderbolt, Pikachu could defend himself against several Spearow or Pidgey should an attempt to catch one of them draw the ire of others nearby.

Of course, given Spearow's typically ornery nature, and their incredible aggression when part of a flock, Ash was eager to keep attempting to capture a Spearow as a last resort.

"Okay Pikachu, how about you let me see what you can do with those electric attacks of yours with my own eyes, eh?" Ash paused slightly, before grinning. "You know, outside of when they're being used on me?"

Pikachu's smile didn't falter, but did turn vaguely apologetic, and Ash just waved him off before leaping to his feet excitedly, his pokemon following suit and bounding to a position next to him - their backs to the small river they had camped by, facing the forest around them. Ash couldn't help it, the idea of actually seeing what _his_ pokemon, _his_ friend could actually do made him giddy at the thought of it - particularly the prospect of a thunderbolt.

The electric type seemed to pick up on his new trainer's enthusiasm, and the red electrical sacs on his cheeks began to crackle and spark eagerly, as though the electricity itself was eager to emerge and prove itself.

"Okay Pikachu, we don't have a battle to fight, so what we're gonna do instead, is let loose a couple of an attacks at the closest tree, just so I can get an idea of where you're at with them, okay?"

"Pika!" The pokemon responded, giving his head a firm nod in response.

"Okay, Pikachu, get things started with a Thundershock."

The sparks at the pokemon's cheeks flared even higher for a fraction of a second, before his entire body was engulfed in electricity, sending one jagged bolt racing towards the tree at an impressive speed, impacting it was an a subdued explosion, and Pikachu even maintained the bolt and the attack for a few seconds to ensure Ash could examine it properly.

In short, the attack had been perfectly executed, and Ash felt his respect for his partner raise a notch. He had power for sure, but if that Thundershock was anything to go by, Pikachu had no small amount of finesse, too. The beam itself had been steady and straight, moving fast with absolutely no deviation or weaknesses Ash could see, and the whole thing had taken Pikachu less than a fraction of a second to fire off.

"That was perfectly done Pikachu. Try it once more, please. I want you to aim it at exactly the same spot."

Pikachu nodded, and fired off another Thundershock at the tree, leaving a blackened scorch mark at the area of impact - directly on top of the pre-existing one.

"Awesome, Pikachu. Now, let's have a look at that Thunderbolt, if that's all right with you, Pikachu?." Ash half commanded, has requested and his partner moved to immediately follow the command.

"Pi-ka...Chuuu!" The difference in power was immediately noticeable, as well as the additional effort Pikachu needed to launch the attack, several beams of electricity streaking away from Pikachu, molding together into a single powerful strike of electricity arcing towards the tree.

It was not hard to spot a problem, and even less so for somebody who had seen Thunderbolt executed perfectly by Professor Oak's immensely powerful Magneton. Pikachu's strikes wavered and flickered about, twisting and jerking violently as they traveled through the air, though powerful as they were. Pikachu had the raw power, but as of yet, lacked the control to use the attack to a reasonable level.

Of course, for now, it would do - controlled properly or not, a Pidgey wouldn't be left standing by one - but Ash still intended to get the attack perfected as soon as he and Pikachu could manage it. The movement of the bolt - unlike the perfectly executed, and straight, Thundershock, meant that the attacks lost momentum and direction in the air. The attack was losing quite a lot of potency, and as it was, was difficult to aim with. Ash also noticed that it took Pikachu a considerably larger time to prepare for the attack than it had for Thundershock.

And just like that, the crash of the attack hitting it's mark, and the horrible crunching of wood brought Ash back from his thoughts, and also shook the tree firmly.

Before they Ash or Pikachu could do anything further, they heard a feeble sounding cry, and both simultaneously winced as a small, green object, dropped out of the tree and hit the ground hard.

Ash blinked as he slowly realised what had happened, and he finally reached back and withdrew a pokeball, enlarging it to it's normal size; but his eyes narrowed as the green pokemon began to stir and move away.

"Pikachu use Thunder Wave on the Caterpie. Don't let him escape." Ash stated calmer than he felt, and idly noted that he had just called his first ever attack in a genuine battle (sort of).

"Pika!" his partner cried out before darting forward, cheeks crackling, before he let loose a pulse of electrical energy towards the green caterpillar-like pokemon, causing it's body to freeze suddenly, and begin to sway on the spot. Ash grinned as he realised that the paralysis had taken hold, and he knew Caterpie was going to find it very difficult to even move, let alone avoid capture, and Ash threw his pokeball, the capture mechanism absorbing the caterpillar pokemon before slamming shut and hitting the floor, glowing red.

It shook violently, the Caterpie obviously struggling, before simply stopping dead - the pokeball making a peculiar 'ding sound' to indicate the successful capture, the Caterpie giving up his struggle entirely - or simply overcome with the paralysis.

Ash picked up the pokeball, staring at it excitedly.

"Well, you weren't what I was expecting, Caterpie, but I'm willing to bet you'll make a great member of the team!"

His first ever successful capture - his and Pikachu's first. Ash smiled sardonically when he thought of Gary, and how he would have been devastated that his first capture was something normally considered so pedestrian, so _underwhelming_. Hell, Gary likely wouldn't even have bothered with the tiny bug type.

Ash felt none of that, all he felt was excitement, and a kind of bursting pride that he had never really felt before at his and his partner's accomplishment. It didn't bother him that his first was a Caterpie, something normally considered weak, and overly common. People tended to see Caterpie and Kanto's other most common bug type Weedle as pests, rather than pokemon to capture and train - but Ash knew better.

Anything could be strong of they worked hard, even Caterpie - and now one was part of his team, he'd do everything to make sure that if Caterpie wanted to, he'd be as strong as it was possible to be.

Before any of that though, Ash had his responsibility as a trainer to take care of.

"Hey Pikachu, that was brilliant work - thank you!" He exclaimed, smiling widely at his first pokemon, who playfully flexed his arm muscles in return, despite how silly his short arms made the pose appear. "Now what do you see we fix up our new friend, and introduce ourselves?"

Ash removed his jacket and laid it on the floor, before bringing his bag over by him and pulling out the Oran and Cheri berries he expected he'd need to treat Caterpie. Berries really were a miracle of nature - plants required pokemon to eat them in order to spread their seeds, so in order to entice them to do so, they evolved to have healing properties that could aid pokemon recover from the battles they have in the wild. Oran trees were the most common all across the world, and could grow almost anywhere - simply because they were the most usable for pokemon. The sizable blue berries simply aided a pokemon's recovery from most minor injuries, acting as a natural alternative to potions.

Cheri berries on the other hand, were small and red, and grew in grape-like bunches - although unsurprisingly, they resembled cherries more than anything else - and they were capable of curing paralysis.

Berries could be found in good numbers almost anywhere, and most kept for about a week, making it incredibly feasible to simply pick enough to meet a trainers needs rather than pay out sizable amounts of money for healing items. However, many trainers lacked the expertise to know what most berries did,or even distinguish them from inedible or dangerous fruit; and others simply disliked the extra effort it took to collect them. Ash was just grateful for his Mothers expertise on plants and their properties. It meant that he only needed to buy and carry enough manufactured medicine like potions to use for absolute emergencies.

After preparing a suitable space to look his new pokemon over, he finally released Caterpie from his pokeball, and let it lie down on the jacket he'd lain out for it, it's body faintly crackling with jolts of electricity, displaying the potency of his partners Thunder Wave.

"I know it hurts, but I need you to eat these buddy - they'll make you feel better." Ash spoke softly to try and keep his new pokemon calm, and held out the two berries one at a time to the pokemon - Cheri berry first. And after a word of encouragement from Pikachu, the Caterpie did begin to eat the berry, albeit somewhat nervously at first.

The nervousness though, began to fall away, as Caterpie begun to feel the effects of the small red berry weakening the paralysis, and soon, Caterpie was voraciously eating at the berry, and before long it was gone - revealing a much perkier Caterpie, though one that was still tired.

"Good job, Caterpie - now try this one, it should help with how tired you're feeling. I know you've had a long day." Ash said with a gentle smile, holding out the Oran berry this time for Caterpie to eat. Only this time, Caterpie didn't give Ash the chance to even put the berry down, eating straight from Ash's hand - giving him time to scan the bug-type with his Pokedex.

_Caterpie, the Worm Pokémon. Caterpie uses the suction cups on its feet to climb trees and feed on its favorite leaves._

_Ability: Shield Dust_

_Known Moves: Tackle, String Shot_

Nothing at all remarkable. This was a true enough statement, but Ash was certain his Caterpie would be a valuable addition, once they'd put some work in - all Ash needed to do was find the best way to train his pokemon, and a way to motivate it, and work with it incredibly hard. The rest he was sure, would come with time, experience, and effort.

For now though, Caterpie had finished his meal and climbed up onto his arm, and was gazing up at him with an endearing sort of nervous curiosity that puzzled it's trainer. After all, everything that Ash knew about pokemon behavior taught him that the pokemon definitely wasn't scared of him per se. If he was, ASh would have faced a much harder time trying to get him to eat from his hand, and once he'd been treated, Caterpie definitely wouldn't have climbed up onto his fore arm like that. No, Ash was certain this was something else.

He gazed into his pokemon's wide, pitch black eyes for a few moments, observing the way it's head was lowered slightly, but it's eyes still gazed up to meet his, asking a question that Ash couldn't quite place.

But like lightning, an idea struck Ash, who turned to Pikachu who had been watching Ash work curiously, but quietly, and smiled.

"Well Pikachu, it may have been luck that we found him - but I'm sure as hell glad we did. As far as I can tell, we just caught the best and strongest looking Caterpie in this place." Caterpie's instant perking up at his praise told Ash his theory was correct, and was proven even more when Caterpie practically beamed at the pair of them when Pikachu voiced his agreement enthusiastically. Caterpie was apparently, just a touch self-conscious, and while he knew that he had been captured - he had accepted it happily, and was more worried about what Ash and his partner thought of _him_.

If that was the most trouble he'd have with Caterpie, then he'd be delighted. Low self-esteem was an issue, but plenty of positive reinforcement and a good environment would fix that before long.

He turned back to his new friend. "Anyway Caterpie, my name's Ash Ketchum, and this is Pikachu - welcome to the beginnings of our impromptu little family." He said with a smile, which grew slightly when he saw Pikachu's eyes light up slightly at the mention of them being a family. "It's my dream to become the world's greatest Pokemon Master, would you mind telling me yours?"

Caterpie looked a little awed that he'd bothered to ask, but that was forgotten quickly enough, as he began to communicate in short, soft cries, before he began to gaze longingly at the skies. Unlike with Pikachu, Ash couldn't understand the pokemon's words, but Caterpie had gotten his message across well enough.

He wanted to fly, to become a Butterfree.

"A Butterfee, huh?" Ash said, and smiled, amused, as the bug time nodded it's head vigorously. "Well, you're in luck, Caterpie. It's a trainer's responsibility to make sure their pokemon are a good as they can possibly be, after all, and I'm going to be the best trainer there is. If you're wiling to work hard for me in battles and training, then I'll work as hard as I possibly can to make sure you're the strongest, most impressive Butterfree their ever was. Sound like a deal?"

Judging by Caterpie's happily enthusiastic response, that apparently hadn't really been much of a question.

* * *

Despite his earlier plan to begin Pikachu's training that afternoon (for launching a few attacks certainly didn't count, the capture of Caterpie had thrown a slight wrench into his plans. Having there and then promised to help his Caterpie become the strongest Butterfree possible, he didn't want to then start training Pikachu and leaving Caterpie out. Equally, training a pokemon required a lot of experience to work on without a plan - an intimate knowledge of pokemon, and experience in training techniques and development that he just didn't have.

Training pokemon without a plan, or the kind of experience needed to do it without one, could leave a pokemon's development seriously uneven, and even leave it with dangerous, exploitable flaws that could have been avoided with just a little thought.

Ash was desperate to avoid that, and so he had postponed the training till the next day. They would simply train early, travel, before settling down for another training session in the evening. At that pace, Ash reckoned he could reach Viridian City early on his fourth day - only slightly behind schedule.

Instead, Ash had spent the rest of the day bouncing between simply playing and bonding with his new friends (he was certain he could _still_ feel pieces of String Shot in his hair), and researching his two partners on the Pokedex. Having already pretty extensively read up on Pikachu, he focused on Caterpie - focusing on nutritional information, training techniques, and the general care of it's entire evolutionary chain (Caterpie evolved notoriously fast, and so Ash wanted to be able to care for it as soon as it happened).

There was a reason though, that Caterpie were renowned for being easy to raise and evolve. Their care requirements were astoundingly simple. Whilst they would quite happily survive on standard pokemon food, and did even better when it was mixed using leaves - Caterpie actually did best when allowed to feed on tree leaves freshly cut and washed from wild trees. The only other real thing to look out for, were pieces of molted, dead skin leftover following a molt; a problem that was fortunately easily fixed by bathing the bug type, and allowing the water to wash the skin away.

Ash had also given Caterpie a more in depth check-up, revealing it to be the very picture of health, and incredibly well fed. More importantly to him and his Caterpie however, the pokemon showed considerable signs of being ready for evolution. His skin, rather than being smooth and slightly slimy, was covered with an almost invisible film of thread that had been emitted through the pokemon's skin like sweat in preparation for the modified String Shot technique that would be used to form it's chrysalis.

And therein lay the problem for Ash, though it wasn't really a massive one. Caterpie likely only needed a training session or two, and one final push before it would evolve. However, after a spot of research, his Pokedex revealed that Caterpie were capable of learning Bug Buzz - one of the more powerful bug-type moves - long before a Butterfree should be capable of learning it. Meaning that once his Caterpie was a Butterfree, it would have an enormous early advantage.

The trouble was, Ash wasn't sure if he could teach it to his pokemon in time, without also triggering it's evolution.

He glanced back to the two pokemon sleeping in his tent while he researched and thought outside, the sun having gone down several hours ago, and their camp's only light now being the still burning flames of their fire.

It was a problem that could wait. Bug Buzz was far from essential, and regardless he would eventually be able to teach Butterfree the attack either way. This was Caterpie's dream after all, and so Ash would ask him what he wanted, and allow him to make the decision. He wouldn't delay Caterpie from his goal for the sake of an attack, unless Caterpie wanted him to.

The matter resolved in his mind - at least until morning - Ash finally allowed himself to duck into his tent and settle into bed, his Pikachu rousing only long enough to curl up against him, before pokemon and trainer both felt sleep claim them, and draw a close on the first day of their journey together.

* * *

"Caterpie, use Bug Buzz!"

Caterpie's decision, Ash firmly believed was the right one for his pokemon, and to be truthful, he probably needn't have worried about his Caterpie rejecting the idea of learning Bug Buzz in favor of accelerating it's evolution. Ash's declaration that he would make Caterpie him the strongest Butterfree possible had apparently struck a chord with the pokemon, and had solidified into an actual goal in it's mind.

The strongest Butterfree, partner of the strongest trainer. Ash very nearly grinned at the memories the bug-type invoked of his very first friend.

And so the Ash had set to work trying to teach the pokemon to use the tricky sound based attack. The reason Butterfree was so difficult to teach the attack to, was because it involved the pokemon vibrating it's wings at an intense speed in order to generate intense, damaging sound waves. Butterfree's wings simply were not cut out for such an intense movement until they had been considerably strengthened.

However, the complexities of evolution meant that there _was_ away around this. Ash couldn't really tell you the theory - it was all about genetics and evolution at a level that was way over Ash's head - but it boiled down to the fact that Pokemon were incredibly adaptable, especially as they evolved. If Caterpie could be taught Bug Buzz prior to it's evolution into Metapod, evolution would recognise the pokemon's ability to use the attack, and change the pokemon's physiology enough so that it could still use it in it's new form, and then again when it evolved into Butterfree.

His Butterfree's wings would evolve strengthened and already capable of producing the sound waves required for Bug Buzz, and all it would take would be a refresher training session on the attack before Butterfree was using it to it's full capabilities.

However, this was uncommon, and fairly difficult - primarily because experienced trainers usually wouldn't bother with a Caterpie, and inexperienced ones often didn't know of Caterpie's ability to learn the technique. The second reason being, that Caterpie had no wings, and the attack was produced by the vibration of a pokemon's wings.

Ash therefore, had been forced to try and come up with a way to get Caterpie to produce the right vibrations, and powerfully enough, that they would produce Bug Buzz.

Once again, the Pokedex had been the answer. He spent a good hour trawling through the data on the attack, looking for some inspiration on how it could be done, until he stumbled across some very old footage of a Gym Leader from another region having a small yellow and green bug/grass type pokemon Ash had never seen that the footage had labeled Sewaddle use the attack with it's _voice. _It was oscillating it's pitch so rapidly, that it had created a high pitched hum, and the sound waves it was producing were almost tangible.

He had rushed to show Caterpie the video, and soon they were at work, Caterpie trying to change the pitch of it's cry quickly enough to produce even just the faintest wave.

They had been at it for an hour, and, as Caterpie tried once more at Ash's behest, he was looking increasingly tired. Even more than that, the light film around Caterpie was growing ever thinker, and Ash was certain that by the end of their second training session once they made camp later on in the evening, he'd have a Metapod.

They were running out of time.

He turned his attention to Pikachu this time, who of course hadn't been left out of their morning training session. His original plan to work on his speed and agility had in effect been abandoned temporarily in order to focus on Caterpie's attempts to learn Bug Buzz, so Ash decided to implement another idea he'd gotten that was somewhat _unique_.

He'd been thinking quite heavily about Pikachu's capabilities and potential, and the best was to use the pokemon, and had been struck by a slight moment of inspiration. The tail for most Pikachu, was ignored by their trainers. It's only real regular usage was for Iron Tail; however, the attack required serious dedication and work from both pokemon and trainer to teach, and most didn't bother - preferring to use other pokemon against the types such an attack would be effective against.

However, where most trainers saw only pointless effort, Ash saw real possibilities. Pikachu's tail could be strengthened beyond what most people thought possible, and had to be to learn Iron Tail, but the attack was where most of it's perceived usefulness lay. However, Ash saw a real wealth of possibilities. He envisioned using the tail as a springboard to launch aerial electrical attacks, or as a method to provide power to a quick attack, or tackle where the opposition was too close to use momentum to generate power, and even as a launch pad for last minute evasive maneuvers for attacks that Pikachu would be otherwise unable to avoid.

He had planned to work it into a training regime gradually, but since he needed to focus on Caterpie for the day's training, he had simply explained the idea to Pikachu, as well as potential exercises, and his partner had studiously gotten to work; trying to get his tail to bear his weight, or using it to spring up into the air. His progress wasn't great overall, but Ash knew the required strength would take time to build. Either way, as he had also explained to Pikachu, the strength he builds now would make learning Iron Tail in the future a much simpler prospect.

For now though, Pikachu was looking fairly tired, so Ash decided to switch him to a less active task as they wound down their morning training. "Pikachu! Could you work on your Thunderbolt attack for a while - your attacks yesterday were strong, but lacked a bit of control and accuracy. The bolts themselves should travel as directly and smoothly as possible to the target, like they were actual lightning strikes. I think if you just worked on your accuracy, and used the attack a little more to get used to directing that much electricity, you'd really notice the difference. See if you can find some small targets to aim at to try and bring the attack under your control."

Pikachu nodded slightly breathlessly, before turning to his new task, apparently deciding the Oran Berries in a nearby tree mad small enough targets to make the training worthwhile. The electric mouse's first few attacks were wild, and relatively far off the mark, but as Pikachu realised this, he simply narrowed his eyes, and tried again with a touch more care, and the improvement was noticeable as scorched black berry dropped to the ground and crumbled into pieces.

Ash couldn't help the impressed nod of approval that he made at Pikachu's attempt. If he kept up those kind of results, the improvement created by the additional focus would soon become instinct. Pikachu noticed his partner's approval, and his lips twitched upwards as though to smile, but the pokemon simply forced it back, and re-focused on his first real training session.

Ash's attention was ripped back to Caterpie as he felt a slight rush of wind pass over his back at the most recent of the bug pokemon's cries, that he had been issuing intermittently the entire time he had been focusing on Pikachu.

"Hey Caterpie, was that...?" Ash trailed off as Caterpie's eyes closed in an odd looking, happy smile, even as the pokemon took deep, heavy breaths.

However, before Ash could even congratulate his pokemon, Caterpie reared back and let out yet another high pitched cry, his voice shifting wildly until for just a single moment, the pitches merged into a single, buzzing hum. This time Ash saw it, an almost visible wave of force erupting from his tiny pokemon, stirring the wind up and forcing a gust of it outwards towards him.

A true, fully mastered Bug Buzz was several bursts of incredibly damaging sound waves created by producing the vibrating hum for a good five or six seconds. Caterpie had only produced one, from just a moment of sound, but the success of the technique was undeniable. It needed some - okay, a lot - of work, but his pokemon had learned the attack in an astoundingly short amount of time.

"Caterpie, that's amazing, you learned Bug-" The trainer's excited proclamation was interrupted as Caterpie collapsed forward, and Ash rushed over to make sure his pokemon was okay.

He picked up the Caterpie a gently as he could, and smiled softly as he gave the hard working bug-type a once over. His pokemon was exhausted but fine, and had already fallen asleep in Ash's arms - what Ash could swear was a content expression resting on his face.

"You've worked really hard Caterpie - I'm super proud. You've earned a good long rest" And with that piece of soft praise - he'd save the excited congratulations for when Caterpie could actually _hear_ them - he recalled his pokemon to it's pokeball, and moved back over to concentrate on the last few minutes of Pikachu's own training.

He couldn't help the feeling of pride that swelled within him at his two pokemon's efforts. Their first training session together, and despite how on the fly and disorganised it had really been in the scramble to teach Caterpie the attack, both pokemon hard worked themselves incredibly hard for him, and Ash couldn't be more grateful.

What's more, he could already tell that with his Pikachu and Caterpie, he had the very early building blocks of an completely solid team of pokemon. The two of them seemed to embody all the traits that Ash wanted to really instill in any pokemon that came into his care - the drive and determination that he himself had, the willingness to work incredibly hard and never give up, and most importantly, a certain camaraderie and kinship with each other - Ash was determined to create a sort of family unit with his pokemon, partially in response to Pikachu's dream, and to his delight, from the short amount of time they had been together, Caterpie had wholly embraced the concept.

A single, short hour, and a few Oran berries to Pikachu to ensure he was okay to battle in an emergency later, and Ash and his two partners were back on the road; with Ash having decided to follow the river that he knew ran straight up to the outskirts of Viridian City, knowing that a trek away from the actual path would undoubtedly give up a far greater chance of an encounter with some of the more skittish pokemon on the route.

Pidgey, Rattata, and Spearow all lived in human settlements, as well as in the wild, and the species were naturally acclimatised to the presence of people. However, that did not mean they were the only pokemon on Route One - just the only ones people tended to catch, since most refrained from straying from the path. Ash on the other hand, was confident of his ability to navigate by compass and map, and definitely confident enough in his knowledge of the area surrounding his hometown to follow the river away from the road.

However, a few hours in, with Pikachu dozing lightly on his shoulder, Ash was beginning to doubt that he would actually encounter anything as he trekked through the knee height grass and undergrowth that lined the bank of the Victory River - so called as it's source at was the top of Victory Road, and it's path took it straight down the fables route to the Indigo Plateau, past Viridian, and meeting the sea a few miles east of Pallet Town.

And it was in this moment, just as Ash felt his mind beginning to wander, that Ash made his first mistake of his journey - one that very easily could have cost him rather more than it did. He let his guard down.

Later on that evening before going to sleep, Ash would reflect upon just how innocuous and normal such an event was for a trainer. Raticate attacks were far from rare - trainers strayed into the large rat's territory regularly, and they defended it fiercely. It was a common danger, and every now and again you'd hear reports of a horrific injury sustained because a trainer got careless, and stopped paying attention. A maiming. A loss of an eye perhaps - some brutal scarring.

Occasionally, a death.

The path of a career trainer wasn't all that dangerous in fairness. Most spent a decade or so traveling, catching the standard, fairly common pokemon, maybe earning a handful of badges, and if they were lucky, competing in a Conference; before hanging up their walking boots and finding a 'proper' career. The semi-successful ones got jobs as tutors and professors and schools for prospective trainers, and the others put their pokemon and themselves to work in any number of trades and professions that utilised well-trained pokemon.

There were of course horror stories. The trainers who left the established path in search of more, and stumbled into the realm of a powerful pokemon that tore them to shreds. Trainers who tried to conquer a mountain in search of the rare ice-types who dwelt near the peaks, only to be conquered by nature itself - their bodies found perhaps years later, perfectly preserved in the ice. Trainers simply caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time - perhaps coming across a group of rampaging Primeape, who then turned their attentions towards the human that had wandered too close.

Ash had forgotten that even so close to the path on the easy going Route One, that there were still dangers to be wary of, cautions to take heed of.

Had he been paying attention, he would have noticed the Raticate. And if he had, it probably would have backed off - pokemon knew well enough that trainers with pokemon as partners were difficult and tricky opponents, and tended to choose retreat over risking capture or an injury that would for a wild pokemon, seriously hurt it's ability to survive.

But Ash wasn't, and he didn't, and the large, sandy yellow rat decided he had an opportunity get retribution from the human for entering it's part of the forest. For it to have been so aggressive, Ash would later realise, it had to have had a litter of young close by - it was the right time of year for it after all - and Ash really should have anticipated the potential for this to happen. He knew enough about the Raticate line to know he should have been taking extra care where they were known to nest.

The pokemon lunged from Ash's right, it's grimy yellow fangs bared dangerously as it leapt straight at the sixteen year-old's throat, guided by it's predatory instincts than any real murderous intent it simply wanted Ash away from it, and Ash had no time to react to the movement he saw out of the corner of his eye at the last moment.

And it was of course then that Ash realised how blessed he was to have Pikachu at his side. He was no ordinary starter from Professor Oak's lab, who had all been raised in captivity, and set out to see the wilderness for the first time with their trainers.

No, Ash's Pikachu had been born and raised out here in the wild, and though dozing, had lived here long enough to know better than to make Ash's mistake. Even as the Raticate's flight path took the rat on a direct route to Ash's jugular, it's jaws widening slightly in anticipation of clamping down hard, Pikachu sprung into action, barreling into Raticate from underneath once it got close enough, diverting it's flight path just enough t quite probably save his partner's life. Raticate wasn't going to settle for failure however, and Pikachu's movement hadn't been enough to actually hurt or daze it, and the large rat span in the air, lashing out with the razor sharp claws on it's feet.

This all had happened in the space of a second, and Ash was still reeling when he felt the claws rake across his face, carving out a deep gulley in his cheeks that stretched about six inches diagonally downwards - an inch or two higher, and Ash would have lost an eye. He stumbled back with a yelp, clutching his already bleeding face, and cried out the only thing he could really think of.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!

Ash didn't even see the powerful bolts of lightning that rocketed from his small pokemon, only the vivid flickering of yellow light behind the lids of his eyes that had clenched tightly shut at the shock of sudden pain - and he wasn't ashamed to admit that the pained cry of the Raticate as it took Pikachu's attack, and the noise of it's scurrying retreat was just a touch satisfying.

"Pika?" The pokemon questioned quietly, and Ash smiled and opened his eyes to meet the concerned gaze his friend.

"I'm okay Pikachu, just a little surprised is all - I let my guard down. You did brilliantly buddy, you really saved my neck!" Ash ignored the pun he made, and just carried on smiling at Pikachu's smile at the praise. He grasped at the only pokeball on his belt and released his Caterpie, rested just enough after their training to be of use here. "Okay guys, would you mind keeping watch while I wash these cuts - I really don't wanna have a bunch of gross infected would on my face, potential for a cool scar or not." From Pikachu's vague scowl, he figured that the joke about having come close to being permanently horribly scarred wasn't appreciated, but Ash didn't care at this point. He was still slightly shaken, and in that moment needed to find some levity in what happened to take away some of his tension.

Cleaning his wound only took a few minutes - his pack was organised in such a way that medical supplies were always within reach - and after a touch of antiseptic cream and rubbing alcohol, Ash was back on the road again. However, the Raticate's angry lunge at him stuck on his mind, perhaps understandably so. But all Ash could think was 'what if it had been Pikachu that the rat had aimed for'? His pokemon - his friend - would have paid for his negligence and mistake.

Lesson learned. He and his pokemon couldn't afford for him to make that same mistake twice - the first time was unforgivable enough in his eyes.

* * *

It was true enough of course, that most trainers rarely strayed from the established routes and paths - it was the reason that injuries and attacks by wild pokemon were so relatively rare. The stronger, more aggressive pokemon, stayed well away from the paths regularly used by people; and the people stayed out of the deep wilderness, and it was only in the rare occasion where wither party veered away from that norm that incidents tended to happen.

Which is why, even so close to both Pallet Town and Viridian, and in an area of not particularly 'wild' or comparatively dangerous wilderness, Ash was surprised when he came across another human.

Judging by the fishing rod hurriedly discarded to the side of where she stood, facing down a particularly muscle-bound Poliwhirl - a deep blue pokemon with a short, squat, circular body, made distinctive by the large black and white spiral pattern on it's torso. The red-headed girl's own pokemon was one Ash had a little more experience with, a sandy colored star shaped pokemon, with a ruby red jewel in it's centre - a Staryu. There were several on Oak's Corral, and Ash could already tell from the large size of the jewel, and the way the jewel's color was so vibrant it practically glowed that her pokemon was particularly well cared for.

"Staryu, use Rapid Spin quickly!" The trainer snapped off her command, in a voice that Ash could only really describe as being firm and fierce, but never actually straying over into actual aggression, or anger. She was pure determination, and grit - and she must have trained like it too, because her pokemon flew into action, spinning in the air like an enormous circular saw, and rocketing towards the Poliwhirl who simply couldn't react fast enough to dodge, and was sent stumbling back from the force of impact.

Rapid Spin wasn't a highly damaging attack, and tended to serve two purposes - clearing away battlefield hazards, and working an opening for a stronger attack. The girl had gone for latter, and executed it perfectly too. "Now, follow it up with Psychic!"

Ash's eyebrows shot up well into his hairline, and he couldn't help but let his jaw hang slightly at that announcement. For a start - Staryu could only learn Psychic through a TM - a device that could artificially teach a pokemon an attack - and the Psychic TM was _notoriously_ expensive. Secondly, for a Staryu to be able to actually cope with the raw amount of psychic power the attack actually required was actually incredible. What it said about that pokemon's - and by association, the trainer's - level of skill and training, was just astounding.

The Poliwhirl began to glow a faint blue as it was surrounded by psychic energy, before it was sent into the air with a panicked cry, and slammed back down into the earth with psychic force. "Put her down for the count with Thunder Wave, Staryu." The _water-type _crackled with electricity, before a wave of bolts sprang forth from it's core, successfully paralyzing the Poliwhirl on impact, preventing it from getting back up at all.

As the girl threw her pokeball to capture the pokemon she had apparently landed while fishing, Ash's mind had already picked out several details. Firstly, Thunder Wave was yet another move Staryu could only use via TM, albeit one less expensive than Psychic. Secondly, for a water pokemon to use an electric type attack without taking any damage took incredible effort and dedication - months if not more of regular, intense training. Finally, Staryu's execution of Psychic had been flawless. The pokemon had ensured it only did the required damage and no more, ensuring no real harm came to the pokemon it's trainer was trying to catch.

All in all, Ash knew for a fact that this was a trainer who had bags more experience than him, put the hours in, and worked incredibly hard to match. She was not a trainer Ash could beat and he knew it. He grinned ever so slightly. Not yet, at any rate.

"You know, I'm all done here - since it's rude to spy, I'm assuming you were trying to keep out of the way of the battle. Who're you?"

Ash had the decency to look at least a little embarrassed at being caught watching the stranger battle, but couldn't help getting a better look at the skilled red-head. She was about as tall as he was (5ft 11), if a little older, and wearing denim shorts with a pale yellow crop top and red suspenders, with her short her tied off into a side ponytail.

He rubbed the back of his head, unable to shake the embarrassment of technically being caught spying on an admittedly pretty girl - by the girl herself. "Sorry about that," he started nervously, "I thought I'd hang back out of the way of your battle when I saw you, and after that, I guess I was just kind of impressed by your Staryu - I could tell it had been well trained before you started attacking, and it shot up even further in my estimations after that. My name's Ash Ketchum, by the way. It's nice to meet you." He finished with a slightly lame smile, and offered his hand out for the girl to shake.

Thankfully, she was apparently pretty friendly too. "The name's Misty." She stated with a smile, her voice friendly and light - the total opposite to what it had been in a fight. "And don't worry, I was only teasing when I said you might be spying. Far too many don't have the same kind of common courtesy that you showed back there by not running down in the middle of a battle. And as long as you keep the compliments about my pokemon coming, I have a feeling we'll get along just fine."

Ash laughed at the slightly playful tone that had entered Misty's tone at the end of her introduction, "well, me and Pikachu will see what we can do about that, right Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded and agreed happily, and Misty turned towards his partner as though she hadn't noticed him yet. "And aren't you just the most adorable little guy ever." She exclaimed, reaching out and petting the yellow mouse on the head - much to the Pikachu's audible pleasure.

"Just so long as you don't forget whose partner you're supposed be, Pikachu." Ash said warningly, albeit with a smile.

"So Ash, just out of curiosity, do _you _have any water types?" Misty turned her attention back to Ash, while continuing to pet Pikachu.

"Ahh no, not yet - I only just started my journey yesterday, so I haven't really managed to catch more than one other pokemon, other than Pikachu here of course." Ash stated, shaking his head slightly. "Although, I know that that Poliwag tend to hang around on the banks of Victory River here, which is one of the reasons I decided to follow the river to Viridian, instead of the path. I was hoping to pick one up before I got there, since after Viridian, my chances of picking up a water type before Pewter City will be pretty slim."

Misty nodded in thoughtful agreement. "Yeah, spotting Poliwag on land around here is pretty common. It's just that usually, it's only a glimpse of them. They're pretty damn shy. Like most water types, your best bet is with a rod I'm afraid." Before Ash could respond however, Misty carried on. "You know, for a new trainer, you have a pretty good eye for pokemon. Not a lot of new trainers could tell how well my Staryu had been trained just by watching it battle a wild pokemon for a few minutes."

Ash grinned at the unspoken question. "Well I've wanted to be a trainer since I was old enough to know what it meant, so I did a hell of a lot of studying in preparation for it. Luckily for me, I come from Pallet Town, where Professor Oak just happens to live on a ranch specifically designed to house, study, and care for pokemon. The moment I was old enough, I volunteered as an assistant to help care for the pokemon there." His grin then turned undoubtedly cheeky, "and before _that_ I just snuck in to play with the pokemon there anyways. There are a couple of Staryu at the ranch, and I spent a good amount of time with them, so I know what to look for in a well looked after one."

Misty nodded in understanding but on the inside, her mind was racing. She was no inexperienced, newbie trainer, despite her age. She had been training pokemon at home just as soon as she had been old enough to walk, talk, and order them in battle. She'd seen a huge number of trainers in her sixteen years, battled an enormous share of them, and heard many of their stories.

But she'd never heard of anybody with the kind of determination that this kid seemed to have, and the implication that he had been studying for it of his own choice from a young age was absolutely unheard of. What kind of little kid has the drive to do that.

And then there was the considerable fact that he had just name dropped _the_ Professor Oak into conversation like he was talking about a favorite Uncle, or neighbor or something. Professor Oak was famous worldwide - both for his exploits as a trainer, and then the enormous success he'd had as a researcher and Professor. Oak was a name that could make decisions, sway politics, rouse crowds. If Misty really had to guess, the only person with more influence in the entirety of Kanto was it's Champion, Lance - and even then, it was a close call.

And this kid - well, he was probably her own age, but Misty felt justified in using the word since he was only just starting out as a trainer - didn't even seem to know or care. Not only that, but to be invited to be Professor Oak's assistant? It was impossibly difficult to get a spot on Professor Oak's Corral - Misty had even heard Oak had turned away his own grandson - and no-one was getting a spot through a favor, or out of pity.

No. Ash may not have been aware of it - the carefree way he said it told her that much - but the Professor had seen something in this kid, and decided to take him under his wing. And Ash, impossibly young, had taken him up on the offer.

What could possibly have driven him to work so hard from such a young age?

"Why did you want to be a trainer so badly Ash? What's your goal?" Misty probed, mentally awarding herself a victory when Ash's posture straightened, and his smile wavered somewhat.

"Well," he began, as if somewhat unsure of how he was going to reply. "I would have said I have a dream - but actually, I might prefer the way you said it. A goal. Like it's something that I absolutely know I'm gonna do." Ash's smile grew again at that. "My dream - my goal - is to be the best. The absolute greatest pokemon trainer that there ever was. I want to be so good, it's totally indisputable - my pokemon so strong, that they're well known to be the strongest of their kind. I want to be a pokemon master."

Ash chuckled slightly before Misty could respond or answer without even looking at the girl's reaction. Ash knew what it would be, after all - only three had heard that much of his dream and not laughed at how ridiculous,, how outlandish it was. And they had all been pokemon that had agreed to be his partners in achieving it. "I know it sounds stupid, and ridiculous. It might even be impossible. But I've promised... Myself, that I would reach for it, and never stop until I'm there - that I would never give up. So, that's what I'm going to do."

Misty stood wide-eyed, staring at the teenager in front of her, stunned at the amount of passion that he had managed to stir just recounting his own, rather lofty, goals. Anybody else on the planet had said those words, and Misty would have laughed. Hell, she almost did. But something stopped her. Something in his speech had held her back, and sparked something in her brain that she didn't recognise until a few moments after the area had gone silent.

For a few, brief moments as he had spoken, waxing lyrical about his dream... Misty had believed him. One hundred per cent, fully believed that this teenager, completely green and brand new to the world of pokemon outside his hometown, could achieve the dream he had set out to.

And it brought memories back of her _own_ dream, the one that she had screamed at her sisters in an argument so long ago now, and after their own laughter, had never spoken out loud of it since. But it had stayed with her, all this time, driving her on, no matter what obstacles she faced, no matter how hard she had to work.

Her dream that drove her on no matter what she had to face, no matter how impossible it seemed...

In all actuality, Misty realised, that she knew exactly what had driven Ash - and what still drove him on even now. She didn't know why he had picked _that_ dream of all things, but she wouldn't pry - not anymore. Her and Ash, they were the same, in a weird sort of way. Chasing impossible dreams, refusing to ever cast them aside or give up.

Looking back at Ash, she realised that he was waiting for the laughter, the mocking that would normally come from declaring such a thing out loud. But it wouldn't come from Misty, she swore.

"My dream..." She began, drawing the surprised but curious gaze of Ash, "is to be the greatest water pokemon trainer in the world. A water pokemon master - like how Lance is the master of dragon types, or Lorelei is the master of Ice-types. So I guess all I have to say about your dream is - don't give up! If I can achieve my impossible dream, then I don't see why you can't achieve yours!"

Ash looked at her, thunderstruck, before his expression morphed into an almost impossibly wide smile. "Yours is a wonderful dream Misty - and hell, judging from your Staryu, you've already gone a long way towards getting there!"

And it was then that Misty remembered something in her bag, and made a decision that would change her life forever.

"Hey Ash, in my bag, I've got a spare rod - how about you set up camp here for the night and I teach you to _really_ fish for a water pokemon? I can pretty much tell you the best way to care for just about anything you can pull up from the Victory River."

"You'd really be okay with doing that?" Ash asked, surprised at the offer from somebody who was after all, pretty much a stranger.

"Well I didn't say I didn't want anything in return now did I. Now what could I ask for..." Misty made a big show of trying to come up with a suitable request, despite knowing exactly what she was going to ask. "I tell you what, in return for helping you catch a water-type, you'll travel with me through Viridian Forest - and while we travel, I'll teach you how take care of what you catch!"

Ash was surprised about her request. Her offer to help her with a water type and lend him her fishing rod was incredibly generous considering her apparent expertise with water types - and in return, she wanted to travel with him through Viridian Forest. She had to know that he would be traveling through there _anyway_, so that was hardly a favor at all. It's not like he would mind the extra company, either. So why? Why didn't she want to go by herself? Suddenly, the answer came to him, along with a memory of his Mum's sheer terror at the sight of a Spinarak - a small spider pokemon - in their house.

"Travel through Viridian Forest with you?" Ash asked, sly grin on his face. "Don't tell me - water pokemon master in training Misty is scared of itty bitty bug type pokemon?" He asked, and Misty went stiff at how quickly Ash had rumbled her.

"D-don't be stupid. They're only little, gross, disgusting, _bugs._" She stammered, but Ash's grin only grew.

"Oh, so you wouldn't mind if I released my Caterpie while we fished then? It's just, he really likes relaxing on people's shoulders, and since mine's taken by Pikachu here, and he'd really appreciate you letting him relax on yours..."

Misty wanted to scream. Of _course_ the little bastard would have a Caterpie. While their dreams were off-limits for joking, somehow, Misty very much doubted her utter terror in the face of bugs was in the same 'off-limits' territory.

Ash grinned at her, but this time all trickery had disappeared from his face. "Don't worry about it, of course I'll travel with you through Viridian Forest - I'll even try really hard not to tease you about you being scared of a bunch of tiny pokemon, since you're being so kind."

* * *

Misty, along with her skill as a trainer, was an incredibly good teacher, to Ash's eternal gratitude. She perhaps wasn't as patient as sh could have been, and seemed to be quite easily frustrated - but she explained everything well and clearly enough, that alongside demonstrations, Ash had picked up the basics of fishing fairly quickly.

Of course, at it's most basic, there wasn't all that much to it; but Misty had still taken him through all the basic knots, how to create a decent fishing rig, casting techniques, and how to safely bring in a catch - and done it well enough that Ash felt he could probably go away and buy his own rod, and fish by himself should the desire ever take him.

And while they fished, Ash and the red-haired girl had been engaged in friendly conversation, telling each other stories about where they grew up and such. Misty had come from Cerulean City, and lived there now with her sisters - she had, Ash could tell, been intentionally vague about certain parts of her childhood - like just how she had gotten around the minimum age of 16 for a pokemon license when she started out a few years ago - but Ash didn't pry.

Soon enough however, the conversation had turned back to water types, and it was there that Ash found a real kindred spirit in Misty - her passion and enthusiasm for pokemon, water types especially, was unmatched, and she lit up when Ash gave her an opportunity to speak about it. And so Ash took to asking her questions about different water types, trying to learn as much as he could from a girl all to happy to talk to him about them, and Ash found that he really enjoyed Misty's company. She seemed to be a great person, and her enthusiasm once you drew it out, was infectious.

All conversation was halted however, when as the sun finally looked to be dipping below the treeline behind them, and they had just been pondering whether or not to light their fire just yet, when Ash _finally_ got a bite. Ash followed Misty's tuition, and excited commentary, and tried to suppress some of his immense excitement at his near success. Judging by the response he felt from the pokemon underwater, he surmised that the pokemon probably wasn't a totally natural swimmer, in the same way that say, an actual fish like Goldeen would be - but it was still putting up an awful lot of resistance.

The pokemon seemed to move with short, rapid pulses - aided every now and again by a single, enormous burst of movement - and Ash felt that if he hadn't given the pokemon as much slack as he had initially thanks to Misty's advice to try and gauge what it was capable enough before actually bringing it in, the line probably would have snapped.

It was something that had been Misty's idea, giving him a relatively weak line. She had vehemently stated that Gyarados lived in these waters, as well as powerful Seaking, and while Misty could comfortably deal with the latter, the former was a different prospect entirely. If Ash hooked a Gyarados by mistake, the line would snap so easily, the monstrously powerful pokemon likely wouldn't even notice he'd been hooked.

Either way, Ash quickly adapted to the pokemon's movements, only pulling against it in it's moments of rest, preventing it from actually doing so and wearing it down, and eventually, Ash had managed to drag a panting Shellder ashore. Shellder was essentially a kind of shellfish, and it's recognisable purple shell was all that could really be seen of the pokemon, only it's white eyes visible inside the shell at the front where it opened. That explained the odd movements from Shellder as he had been reeling it in - they moved by rapidly opening and closing their shells to propel themselves backwards, and that was likely where the pulsing movement pattern had come from.

Now all he had to do, was battle it. Pikachu's cheeks crackled with electricity next to him, knowing full well that he was the logical, and most likely correct choice - but Ash had other ideas. Caterpie would be well rested by now, and Ash knew he needed just one final push before it evolved - one final herculean effort before he hurdled his second major obstacle to becoming a Butterfree, the first having been learning Bug Buzz.

"Caterpie, show it what you're made of!" Ash called out, casting his rod aside, and hurling the bug-type's pokeball towards the battle.

Misty approached him from the side. "Are you sure you don't want to use Pikachu, Ash? It makes the most sense." Ash nodded at her final sentence before replying.

"I know that, but Caterpie's just a fraction away from evolution. I want to give it that chance here 9 - besides, I'll ask Pikachu to step in should things go south, long before Caterpie gets seriously hurt. Besides," he finished, smiling. "I just know that Caterpie is dying to try out his new attack properly."

The girl nodded at Ash's explanation and stepped back slightly to let him battle, though the concern never quite left her face. "So long as you do Ash, bugs may not be my thing, but I hate seeing pokemon get hurt through no fault of their own.

While the two exchanged their words, Caterpie had emerged from it's ball in an explosion of red light, and his eyes immediately fond those of his apparent enemy. "'Pie!" It called enthiastically, the triumph of the morning still fresh in it's mind, now determined to gain a victory in it's first battle with his trainer.

"That's the spirit Caterpie!" Ash shouted, smiling lightly at the bug's enthusiasm. "Don't give it a chance to move - use String Shot! Cover the entrance to it's shell!"

String Shot was a move used to impede or restrict other pokemon, so normally wouldn't be much use against a pokemon that was relatively immobile on land, however, Ash only meant for the attack to be a distraction. A think, silky web fired out from Caterpie's mouth, and shot towards Shellder before it had time to react, and began to cover the pokemon's front, hanging down from the top of it's shell like a silken curtain - completely obscuring the pokemon's view.

It panicked immediately, and began firing small, spear-shaped shards of ice from inside it's shell, a move that Ash recognised as an Icicle Spear attack. It had been blinded by the String Shot however, and could only fire in panicked, random directions.

"Dodge them, and get close, Caterpie - then use tackle!" The caterpillar-like pokemon set off, albeit relatively slowly, occasionally ducking under, or shifting out the path of a pear; and, once close enough, it leapt and launched itself at the shell pokemon, hitting it on the side, and sending it tumbling back slightly.

"Nice work, now tackle again!" At Ash's command, the Shellder panicked once more at the thought of taking another tackle attack, but this time, it simply slammed it's shell completely shut - a Withdraw attack, making it's defenses incredibly strong. Ash only grinned. It was a move that he had been waiting for.

"Caterpie, pull out of the tackle and land on it's shell. Then use Bug Buzz and don't let up!"

Misty's eyes widened at the mention of the powerful bug-type attack, and felt her respect for Ash's abilities as a brand new trainer go up. Teaching that move to a Caterpie was supposed to be a tricky thing to do. Moreover, the strategy was totally excellent. She doubted a Caterpie's Bug Buzz could be that effective at long range - their voices just weren't powerful enough - so Ash had forced the Shellder to use withdraw to get Caterpie as close as possible. However, Shellder were incredibly sturdy things, and there were very few things that could damage one through it's shell.

An attack consisting of _sound waves_? The shell wouldn't be any kind of defense against that - in fact, the vibrations as the sound passed through it might actually make the attack more powerful.

As she watched Caterpie land on the beleaguered pokemon's shell, and start crying out, generating the sound waves for the attack, Misty winced. A trained pokemon never would have fallen victim to this - it would know enough to simply attack the bug atop of it. A wild Shellder's instinct however, was to hide away in it's shell in the face of powerful attacks. However, the shell was no protection, and now it's defensive instinct was working against it. It couldn't stop the attack from inside the shell, but it's compulsion to try and shield itself from harm from inside the shell, meant that it couldn't leave. This battle was over already, thanks to Ash's rather clever tactic.

After a minute or so, Caterpie leapt from the shell, clearly spent, and more importantly, so was the Shellder. At the let up of attacks, the shell crept open, and it became clear that the pokemon had no fight left in it, and so finally, Ash threw his pokeball.

It didn't even shake once in defiance before the capsule let out a tell-tale 'ding' of success.

Before he could go collect his new partner, the sight of Caterpie's body going utterly rigid, and the bug type turning it's head to the sky, before letting loose a silken fountain of webbing that arced back and covered the tiny pokemon entirely, before glowing a bright, dazzling white that forced Ash, Misty, and Pikachu to avert their eyes.

What met them instead of the familiar caterpillar when they were able to return their gaze however, was a deep green cocoon of a pokemon, that had sharply pointed ends, and was arced in such away that it could 'sit' upright, with it's lower half resting entirely on the ground.

And in a dull monotone, that for some reason, Ash couldn't help think held excitement underneath it, the new form of Caterpie spoke a single word:

"Meta-pod."

* * *

**And yes, this is 'Ash's Caterpie' in my mind. The very same. Ash's was seen to be intensely self conscious, and anxious about what other people think, and I've tried to portray that as best as I can.**

**I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Ash's Butterfree, and I just couldn't bring myself not to include it - and to be honest, it'll probably be the same for almost all of Ash's Kanto team. Being a fan since I was a kid, and having watched the hell out of season one has left me with a quite strong emotional attachment to some of those folk, after all.**

**That is not to say of course, that I won't be adding a few more faces to the original group. **


End file.
